


A Black Cat's Luck

by YoursAlways



Category: Haikyuu!!, InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Crushes, Curses/Spells, Drabble Collection, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Secret Crush, cat!Kagome
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-12
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2018-10-18 01:45:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 276
Words: 27,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10606734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YoursAlways/pseuds/YoursAlways
Summary: A box, a girl, a cat, a curse, and a boy ill-prepared to deal with any of it. A story told in perfect drabbles of 100 words each. Updates daily.





	1. The Box

"Where is it?"

Searching the shelves, Kagome looked for the jewelry box her mother had sent her to find. Mama Higurashi had been feeling nostalgic lately and wanted to take stock of some of the old keepsakes and heirlooms in the storage building. But as Kagome sneezed from all the dust, she thought she might give this job to Souta next time.

A box finally caught her eye. It _looked_ like a jewelry box, but not like what her mother had described.

Running her hand over the lid, Kagome's heart skipped a beat.

Something inside it was calling to her.


	2. Old Magic

A thrum traveled up her arm making her shiver.

The beautiful box of dark polished wood with white wood inlays, seemingly the only thing free of dust in the storage building, looked out of place but felt like it belonged. Glancing outside, Kagome saw that it was still early morning. She had a while yet before she'd need to leave for school.

Taking the box and sitting on the floor, Kagome carefully lifted the lid. But for all the possibilities of the contents, she wasn't expecting it to be empty.

But then a growl, a flash, and Kagome was gone.


	3. New Perspective

Kagome pushed and wiggled against the sheet weighing her down. She was still a little disoriented from the flash, but when she saw a crack of daylight, she headed for it.

Gathering her bearings and blinking to clear the spots from her eyes, Kagome tried to figure out what had happened. The box was empty. Or it looked empty, at least. But something had caused the flash. If this was another one of those relics Gramps kept that turned out to be the real deal, they were going to have a very serious talk…

Why did everything look so tall?


	4. Circular Thoughts

' _I shrank?'_ Kagome thought before looking down and realizing she needed to amend her initial assumption. She'd had Buyo long enough to know cat paws when she saw them.

Quickly backing up in a futile attempt to distance herself from the situation, she startled when her newly acquired tail brushed the wall.

Kagome crouched to make herself smaller on instinct as her mind raced in circles. ' _I'm a cat. I'm a cat. By the gods, I'm a cat!'_

Her eyes locked onto her crumpled school uniform on the old wood floor. ' _Mama. I need Mama.'_

With a plan, she ran.


	5. Mother's Mistake

Mama Higurashi was sweeping outside as she'd been when she'd first sent Kagome into the old storage building, and Kagome felt relief fill her little body at the sight.

' _Mama. Mama, help!'_

Kagome wanted to yell, cry, and curse the luck she thought she'd left 500 years in the past, but all that came out was a warbled meow.

"Oh, look at you," Mama cooed when she spotted Kagome. "You're beautiful. But I can't let my kids see you or they'll want you to stay. Go on now, shoo. Go home."

When a broom brushed her away, Kagome's heart sank.


	6. Sun Block(er)

Tail flicking, Kagome lounged on one of the shrine's bottom steps trying to come up with a new plan. Maybe if she cuddled up to Souta when he left for school, he'd talk Mama into keeping her until they realized what had happened? Possibly. That just required waiting for her brother.

As the morning sun warmed her dark fur, Kagome had a sudden understanding of why cats sunned. It felt amazing.

That is until her sun was blocked.

Cracking open blue eyes, Kagome was being stared down by a sparkly-eyed Haiba Lev.

' _Why is he looking at me like that?'_


	7. Good Intentions

What should she do? What would a normal cat do? Because for the moment, every muscle in Kagome's body was tense and frozen as the tall first year stroked her fur.

Lev looked like his year had just been made. "Cats never let me get this close for this long," he breathed in awe.

Well, that answered that question. She should leave. Wouldn't want to upset an agreement all other cats seemed to have.

"Oh, you don't have a collar! Are you a stray? Do you need a home?"

Yep, definitely time to leave. Now.

Too bad Lev was faster.


	8. Bumpy Ride

If there was one benefit to her catnapping predicament, it was that Kagome learned how to growl.

After a fair amount of struggle and wiggling, Lev managed to pin her to his chest, his arms and hands pulled into his volleyball club jacket's sleeves to protect himself from her claws. But that didn't stop her from making her displeasure known.

"Shh, it's okay," he tried to soothe her, holding her to him a little too tightly as he jogged to school with a wide smile on his face.

Passing through the school gates, they headed towards the volleyball team's gym.


	9. Honest Mistake

"You're late," Kuroo called out when Lev finally showed up at the gym. "You know our deal. Extra laps this afternoon."

"I know!" Lev whined before motioning towards Kagome, afraid to lift her up in case she started wiggling again. "But I found a cat!"

Kuroo sighed. "You can't keep bringing cats to practice."

"But Kuroo-san, he needs a home!"

' _He?'_ Kagome thought, growling again.

Kuroo walked towards the cat-wielding first year, tilted his head for a better look at the clean and silky cat, and said, "I don't think _she's_ homeless, Lev."

If cats could blush, Kagome definitely was.


	10. Changing Hands

"She really doesn't like you holding her like that," Kuroo said as Kagome continued to growl.

"She tries to scratch me otherwise," Lev said adjusting his hold.

Yaku dragged their setter over and said, "Give her to Kenma."

"Right!" Kuroo snapped his fingers and made Lev comply. "For some reason, cat's love Kenma."

Kagome was torn. She wanted freedom but also knew Kenma in passing and liked the younger boy. But his hold was gentle as he took her from Lev, and even through her irritation, she was able to relax a fraction.

"What's all this?" A weathered voice asked.


	11. Responsible Captain

The team turned to see their coach. "I don't usually allow pets in my gym," he said with a smile, reaching out to stroke Kagome's head.

"Lev thought she was a stray and brought her in," Kuroo explained for his underclassman.

"Doesn't look like a stray," Nekomata remarked.

"I know," Kuroo agreed, casting Lev a glance. "I'll take her home this afternoon and make some missing flyers to post around."

"Very responsible, Tetsurou," Nekomata grinned and patted the boy on the shoulder. "But you boys have practice for now so hand her over. I'll watch over her until this afternoon."


	12. Not Normal

By the time afternoon practice rolled around, Kagome was well into an existential crisis. Nekomata had taken her to the faculty office earlier that day and she’d seen her math teacher - a man whose stoicism rivaled Sesshoumaru’s - smile at her. And coo. And considering that she’d started the day out as a human girl, saying that was the strangest part of her day was really something. It had her reevaluating her standard for “strange”.   
  
“How’d she behave?” Kuroo asked as he watched his coach pet a cat with an impressive thousand-yard stare.   
  
“A little strange, but she’s a good cat.”


	13. Claws Out

After practice, Kagome was handed off to Kuroo who zipped her up in his club jacket, cradled to his chest. She was so busy trying to get settled into a position where she didn't feel like she was going to fall out that it was relatively easy to ignore the team gathering around to get a closer look at her.

"She's kinda big, isn't she?" Yamamoto asked.

"Yeah," Kuroo shifted the arm that was supporting her to accommodate her wiggling. "A breed thing?"

Just then, feeling off-balance, Kagome reacted automatically, claws extending to grip Kuroo's shirt causing Kuroo to shriek.


	14. Shopping List

Kuroo snapped his mouth shut with a whimper, not wanting to startle the cat and make her claws dig deeper. "Okay, kitty," he said as calmly as he could manage. Gently pulling her claws from him, he soothed, "Not gonna drop you, just relax."

When her claws were free, Kuroo pulled at the neck of his shirt and looked down at his chest. "I think I'm bleeding."

Kenma tugged on the back of Kuroo's jacket. When his attention, Kenma said, "We'll need to go to the store on the way home. You need cat food and kitty litter. And band-aids."


	15. Privacy Please

Pet supplies were an odd adventure on their own. Cat food and some treats that looked less than appetizing. Some toys to keep her occupied. A couple of bowls. And now they were looking at litter boxes while Kagome's soul died a little.

"This one's good," Kuroo said, picking up a basic box.

Kenma shook his head, pointing to one that was enclosed like a little house. "Get that one."

"Why? It's more expensive."

Kenma stared at Kagome who stared back as he said, "New house, new environment, she might be shy. I would be."

' _Bless this boy,'_ Kagome thought.


	16. Welcome Home

"I'm home!" Kuroo called, stepping inside and toeing off his shoes. "Mom, you up?"

Kuroo's mother popped her head out of the bathroom, toothbrush in her mouth, to say "Yeah. Oh! Hi Ke'ma!" She smiled at Kenma's wave but then spotted the furry head poking out of Kuroo's jacket.

"About this," Kuroo said, petting Kagome, "Lev brought her to practice, but she's definitely someone's pet. I'm taking care of her while I look for her owner."

Rinsing her mouth so she could go see the cat, his mother gave him a skeptical look before sighing, "I guess she's kinda cute."


	17. Kuroo, No

"You staying for dinner?" Kuroo asked, heading back towards his room with Kagome and the cat supplies. "Not sure what we're having yet."

Kenma followed after and shut Kuroo's door before Kuroo set Kagome down. "Dad's picking up something tonight," he answered. As Kuroo set up the litter box, Kenma dug out a wand toy with a feathered end and tried to prompt Kagome into play (which she ignored).

"What'll you call her?" Kenma asked.

Kuroo shrugged. "Kuro?"

Kenma gave him a flat look before tossing the toy on the bed and leaving.

"What?" Kuroo called after him. "It's fitting!"


	18. Keeping Distance

When Kuroo left his bedroom, Kagome cautiously followed after. There was a window above his desk, but it'd been closed. With any luck, she'd find somewhere she could slip from the house and find her way back home.

In the kitchen, Kuroo's mother sat at the counter with her makeup bag and a mirror. "Does she have a name yet?"

"I suggested Kuro, but Kenma didn't like it," Kuroo laughed.

His mother hummed. "Probably for the best."

"What is?" Kuroo asked, rummaging through the refrigerator.

"Not naming her." Giving Kuroo a look, she said, "You don't wanna get too attached."


	19. Caught Staring

Kagome sat in the kitchen threshold, unsure how to process what was going on. They'd been in the same class since the first year of high school, but never had Kagome thought that Kuroo knew how to cook. He looked at ease enough in the kitchen that this was obviously something he did often.

"Isn't that a little weird?" Kuroo's mom asked, watching Kagome watch her son.

"What?" Kuroo asked, plating food.

"Her just sitting in the open watching you. Don't cats usually take time to get that comfortable in a new place?"

"She's," Kuroo glanced at Kagome, "definitely different."


	20. Passing Ships

With no available escape routes, Kagome settled for watching the little family. There was no mention between them of Kuroo's father and no evidence around the house of a man other that Kuroo living with them. Kagome realized that despite knowing him for years and being friendly enough to ask to copy notes, she really didn't know much about Kuroo beyond that he played volleyball and got good grades.

After dinner and chatting about Kuroo's day, his mother slipped into her room and came back donned in pink scrubs.

"Be good, Tetsu!" She called before leaving them on their own.


	21. Familiar Feeling

Kagome wondered if her ears were laid back. It felt like they were.

In the quiet left with just her and Kuroo, she was hit with a very familiar feeling. It was the same thing she felt when she first ended up in another era; far from home, no idea how to get back, and very much alone. Only this time there was no wise Kaede or grumpy Inuyasha. She was on her own.

Kagome watched Kuroo's ankles as he walked past her.

Correction: she was with Kuroo, a boy who thought she was nothing more than a lost cat.


	22. Hanging Out

Kagome slowly made her way back to Kuroo's room, dejected under the weight of her situation. Kuroo was at his desk doing whatever homework had been assigned that day, and she wondered what she'd missed in class.

Staring up at Kuroo's bed, Kagome realized she didn't know much about how this body worked. She'd mostly been carried around all day. Crouching, she leapt up but barely hit the edge of the mattress. Trying again, she was able to grip the comforter along the top with her claws but couldn't go any higher than that.

And worse, her claws were stuck.


	23. Something Odd

After a bit of flexing and relaxing different muscles, Kagome finally figure out how to retract her claws. Unfortunately, this caused her to immediately fall backwards and, having no practice at being a cat, land on her back with a _thud_. Looking up from her position on the floor, she could see Kuroo watching her and looking absolutely baffled.

Picking her up and setting her on top of his bed, he gave her head a pet as he said, "You really are kind of a weird cat, aren't you?" He seemed to finally be realizing how true that really was.


	24. Rare Sight

' _What has my life become?'_ Kagome thought as she stared wide-eyed at Kuroo.

Somehow, this just seemed _wrong_.

Kuroo had finished his homework quickly and was now fresh from the shower. He'd thankfully put on a pair of shorts while still in the bathroom, and Kagome didn't even notice his shirtlessness. She was focused on his wet hair completely pushed back out of his face. Kagome knew several girls in their class who would kill to witness this moment.

"You okay there, kitty?" Kuroo asked as Kagome continued to stare at him.

' _No,'_ Kagome thought. ' _Not even a little bit.'_


	25. Dad Friend

Kuroo looked out his window before picking up his phone. Kagome watched as he waited patiently until the other end was picked up and he simply said, "Go to bed."

Half-stretching/half-jumping (awkwardly) onto Kuroo's desk, Kagome looked at the house next door.

"No, you can't pull an all-nighter. We have practice in the morning. Bed. Now."

Kagome could vaguely hear grumbling on the other end of the phone before the light across the way blinked out, but a faint blue glow remained.

"Kenma, _put it down_ and go to bed." The glow finally died and Kuroo rolled his eyes.


	26. Bed Head

Closing his curtains, Kuroo scooped Kagome up before sliding into bed. "You can sleep up here with me since I didn't buy you a bed," he told her. "I didn't want to buy too much since I don't know how long you'll be here."

Kagome could understand that, but she knew that nobody would claim her anytime soon. Still, a soft bed definitely beat sleeping on the cold hard floor.

"Goodnight, kitty," Kuroo said, scratching her chin.

Kagome watched as Kuroo turned out the light before… assuming the most absurd sleeping position she'd ever seen.

' _Well that explains his hair.'_


	27. Seeking Warmth

Sleeping was hard. The room was dark and quiet as Kagome curled into a tight ball on Kuroo's bed.

She could feel her triangle ears twitch with every little noise in the unfamiliar room, and it didn't help with her restless feeling at all. One of the sounds she frequently heard was Kuroo's soft snores. ' _How can he even breathe lying like that?'_

And despite her fur, a shiver racked Kagome's body. Giving Kuroo a cautious glance, she inched towards him, hesitated, and finally pressed against his calf for a little extra warmth.

It wasn't home, but it was… better.


	28. Rough Mornings

Kagome was woken up by Kuroo's alarm only seconds before he shifted and the warmth of his calf disappeared. He sat up and stretched before blinking down at her sleepily. It seemed to take him a moment before his brain woke up enough to remember the previous day. "Oh right," he said, voice rough as he dragged a hand down his face before giving Kagome a tired smile. "Morning, kitty."

As Kuroo made his way towards the bathroom, Kagome didn't even notice his bed head since she was hit with another realization. Seeing his sandpaper cheeks, she thought, ' _Kuroo shaves.'_


	29. Not Possible

Kagome could feel her tail twitch back and forth as she tried to hold in just how amused she was. Kuroo was in the bathroom getting ready and singing (terribly) into his hair brush (after he'd given up on using it for its intended purpose).

As he completely missed a note that was never even within his range, Kagome finally broke and let out one of the strangest sounds either of them had ever heard.

Kuroo stopped his singing and looked at where Kagome was sitting in the hall watching him. Shocked, he asked, "Did you just… laugh at me?"


	30. Valid Concern

"I brought breakfast," Kuroo's mother called with a yawn as she arrived home.

"How was the ER?" Kuroo asked, fixing his tie and peeking into the bag his mom brought home.

"Busy, but nothing terrible." Taking a pastry, she got a glass of milk and asked, "How's the cat doing?"

"Fine, but still kinda weird." He paused before adding. "I think she laughed at me this morning."

Kuroo's mom gave him a look before crossing the kitchen and pressing a hand to his forehead.

"What are you doing?"

"You think a cat laughed at you. I'm checking for a fever."


	31. Cat Pics

Kagome watched Kuroo getting ready for school; checking his bag to make sure he had his books and homework, checking his gym bag for his clothes and shoes, checking her bowls that she still had food and water. Then he was smoothing out the blankets on his bed before setting her on top.

"Okay, kitty, stay still for a second," Kuroo said snapping a few pictures of her with his phone. "I'll try to get some flyers made on my way home today." Grabbing up his bags, Kuroo gave Kagome a final pet before leaving with a "Be good today!"


	32. Alone Time

Kagome watched as Kuroo grabbed his breakfast plus an extra - "Take one for Kenma," his mother had said - and left for practice and school. His mother didn't pay Kagome much attention as she finished her pastry, took a shower, and headed to bed.

And then Kagome was essentially alone in a well locked up house.

Going back to Kuroo's room, Kagome made a decision. If she was stuck in the body of a cat, she was going to figure out how it worked.

She stared up at the edge of Kuroo's bed. ' _I will jump up there or die trying.'_


	33. Best Friends

"Kenma, I'm telling you the cat laughed at me."

Nibbling on his breakfast as they walked to school, Kenma cut Kuroo a look before asking, "What exactly does a cat's laugh sound like?"

"I don't know!" Kuroo scruffed a hand through his already unruly hair. He knew what he'd heard and was tired of people thinking he was crazy. "You know that little chirp cats make sometimes? Kinda like that. But different. It definitely _felt_ like she was laughing at me."

"What were you doing when she laughed?"

Kuroo hesitated. "Singing."

"You're right," Kenma agreed. "She was laughing at you."


	34. Good Attendance

Practice was fairly normal. Lev was loud. Yamamoto was louder. Kenma rolled his eyes so hard Kuroo wasn't sure how he didn't hurt himself. The only difference was Lev begging to come visit "their" cat.

When classes started, Kuroo and Yaku walked to their class together, but Kuroo was quiet as he stared at the empty seat in front of his desk.

"Stare at it harder," Yaku said. "Maybe that'll make her materialize in front of you."

"Kagome's never missed two days in a row," Kuroo pointed out. "Isn't this weird?"

Yaku shrugged, but Kuroo knew better. It was strange.


	35. Feeling Brave

' _Don't rip it, don't rip it, don't rip it,'_ Kagome chanted in her head as she tried to pull herself up over the edge of Kuroo's bed, claws once again embedded in his comforter.

With some careful wiggling and inching, she finally made her way to the top of the bed feeling weirdly proud for something that used to seem like nothing. Looking over at Kuroo's desk, Kagome was feeling a little brave while riding the high of her last accomplishment.

Taking in the gap between the bed and the desk, Kagome took a couple of running steps and jumped.


	36. New Urges

Kagome looked down at the papers she'd accidentally knocked off Kuroo's desk upon her landing (which was otherwise pretty darn good, thank you very much). There was something about seeing them on the floor that brought up a deep urge she'd never had before.

Looking at a pen left on the desk, Kagome reached out one black paw and tapped at it until it joined Kuroo's papers. Her tail flicked as an intense sense of satisfaction filled her.

' _Is this why cats knock things over?'_ Kagome thought. ' _Because it's fun?'_

She stared at a pencil. ' _Maybe just one more time.'_


	37. Concerned Friends

Kuroo stretched as lunch rolled around. He looked again to the empty seat in front of him.

Kagome hadn't come in late as he was hoping she would.

Jumping when a bento dropped onto his desk, Kuroo looked at Yaku as the libero turned Kagome's chair around and sat. "Watching you moon at an empty chair is just sad," Yaku said. "Did you bring anything?"

Kuroo shook his head as he stood, saying he'd be back soon. On his way out of the classroom, he spotted Kagome's friends staring at her desk. It seemed he wasn't the only one worrying.


	38. Mother's Day

Risa looked at the box from the storeroom they'd found next to Kagome's rumpled school uniform. It now sat on the kitchen table along with any old scrolls her father-in-law was able to dig up in relation to the box. They were still trying to piece together what had happened.

She jumped when a hand patted her shoulder. "I know you're worried," Grandpa Higurashi said. "So am I. But the supernatural took her once and she came back to us fine. She'll come back again."

Risa smiled at the older man as best she could despite her worry. "I know."


	39. Old Lies

"Hey, you're friends with Kagome, right?" Kuroo asked approaching the trio of girls he usually saw with his crush.

"Yes," one answered cautiously, not sure where Kuroo was going with his question.

Kuroo tried to ignore how easily the stare of three girls made him self-conscious, like they _knew_ how he felt about their friend just by looking at him. "Just wondering if you knew if she's okay. She doesn't usually miss school like this."

Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi exchanged a look between them.

"We're not really sure either," Ayumi started. "But… well, she used to get sick a lot."


	40. Old Gossip

"How much is a lot?" Kuroo asked before he realized it might seem like he was prying.

"She was barely at school most of our third year of middle school," Eri told him. They weren't the only ones from their middle school at Nekoma and Kagome's absences were hardly a big secret.

"We were worried she might not graduate, but she kept up with the work at home," Yuka said.

"What was she sick with?"

Another look between Kagome's friends.

"I think the better question," Ayumi started, "is what _wasn't_ she sick with. It's like her immune system stopped working."


	41. Curious Cat

On the way to get his lunch and all the way back to the classroom, Kuroo couldn't quite shake what Kagome's friends had told him.

Some sort of immunodeficiency. To get sick as often as they said she had, that had to be the case. But it didn't make sense. For it to suddenly onset and last a year before simply disappearing and leaving her (seemingly) perfectly healthy again?

Sitting with Yaku again, Kai having also now joined them, Kuroo only half paid attention to their conversation.

It was strange, and he had too many questions with too few answers.


	42. Making Messes

Waking up in need of some water and a snack, Kuroo's mother was still groggy when she heard a _thump_ from down the hall. Still not quite awake, she was more than willing to dismiss it until it was followed by another sound, this time a light clatter.

A quick glance into Kuroo's room made her pause.

There, in the middle of a mess that she was sure her son didn't make, sat the cat Kuroo had brought home the previous day. And honestly, she'd never seen an animal look so thorougly _caught_ before.

Well, she was Kuroo's problem now.


	43. Over-Protective

After classes were done for the day and it was time for clubs, Kuroo tried to put Kagome's absence out of mind. He had a team to lead, after all.

But he was surprised when, on his way to the club room, he was cornered by three girls.

"So why the sudden interest in Kagome?"

"They're friends, Eri," Ayumi tried to assure her over-protective friend. Looking to Kuroo, she said, "Right?"

"Kind of, yeah. I'm just concerned."

Eri gave Kuroo a hard look, still skeptical, before seeming to settle on a thought with a decisive nod. "She could do worse."


	44. Not Helpful

As Kuroo recounted what had happened on his way to practice, Yaku rolled his eyes, Kai politely tried not to laugh, and Kenma grinned (which might as well have been a laugh).

""She could do worse,"" Kuroo repeated. "What does that even _mean_?"

"Seems self-explanatory," Kenma said, still poking around on his phone before putting on his socks.

"It sounds like they approve," Yaku told him. "Kind of?"

"Friend approval can be important to girls," Kai said, patting Kuroo's shoulder. "So that's half the battle already won."

"The other half is actually telling her that you like her," Kenma muttered.


	45. Foreboding Feeling

"You're home late," Kuroo heard his mother call from the kitchen as he and Kenma kicked off their shoes.

She was washing a couple of dishes, already dressed for work, when they entered the kitchen. "Yeah, I printed some missing flyers and we posted a few on the way home. I'll put up the rest tomorrow."

"I didn't have time to cook anything," his mother apologized. "Do you need food money?"

"I'm fine," Kuroo shook his head and smiled. Looking around, he asked, "Where's the cat?"

With a grin that made him a little nervous, his mom answered, "Your room."


	46. Completely Charmed

Kuroo stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed at his bedroom floor.

His desk was cleared of everything but his laptop. The top of his dresser was completely bare. Even his pillows were on the floor. And poking out from under his bed was a fluffy black tail twitching anxiously.

With a soft laugh, Kenma set his bag aside and managed to coax Kagome out from under the bed and held her so Kuroo could see her, big blue apologetic eyes melting his irritation.

"Shit," Kuroo sighed, running a hand down his face. He knew then and there that he was hopelessly sunk.


	47. Repeat That

Righting his pencil cup, Kuroo looked at where Kenma sat on the bed with Kagome in his lap, calmly squishing her paws and watching her claws extend and retract. "Thanks for helping me pick up," Kuroo said, tone laced with sarcasm.

"I'm keeping her occupied," Kenma offered, movin on to gently scratch behind Kagome's ears. "She's really calm, isn't she?"

"Only when we're here, apparently."

"Is that normal?" Kenma asked. "Do you think she could be sick? Periods of lethargy or something?"

"Dunno," Kuroo shrugged. "But I'll ask the vet tomorrow."

' _Wait,'_ Kagome thought, focus zeroing in on Kuroo. ' _What?'_


	48. One Sided

When Kenma had left and it was just Kagome and Kuroo, she decided to make her displeasure known. Jumping onto Kuroo's desk with a now practiced ease, she looked him dead in the eye and pushed his notebook over the edge.

"What's gotten into you?" Kuroo asked, picking up the notebook. "Did you hear me say the v-word earlier? Do you know "vet"?"

' _You bet I do,'_ Kagome glowered. ' _I swear, Kuroo, if you take me to the vet…'_

"Sorry," Kuroo laughed, trying to give Kagome a pet which she dodged. "But it's a necessary evil."

' _No, it's really not.'_


	49. Calling Reinforcements

"Come on," Kuroo called softly, crouched down in the floor and cooing at the cat hiding under his bed. "I have treats if you come out."

' _Not a chance,'_ Kagome thought, growling softly at the hand reaching towards her. ' _And you're not gonna like what happens if you don't get that hand out of my face.'_

Kuroo jerked his hand back, hissing slightly at the little red lines that hadn't quite broken the skin. Sitting back on his heels, he sighed and pulled out his phone and dialed a familiar number. "Hey, can you come over? I'm having cat troubles."


	50. Scratch Free

Securely in a bag with only her head poking out, Kagome sat in Kenma's lap on the train while Kuroo gave her dirty looks. "Haven't you heard of "don't bite the hand that feeds you"?"

' _I didn't bite you,'_ Kagome thought as she reassessed that little part of her that kept her from lashing out at Kenma.

"Give her a break," Kenma said, gently stroking her exposed head. "She's had a rough few days. You'd be in a mood too."

' _You have no idea,'_ Kagome agreed, leaning into the touch slightly and deciding that Kenma could keep his do-not-scratch status.


	51. Fake Out

Kagome tried to shrink into her bag as they entered the vet's office.

"What can we help you with today?" The receptionist ask with a smile.

Scooping Kagome out of the bag, Kuroo explained, "I'm taking care of a lost cat until I find her owners and wanted to check for a tracking chip."

Kagome relaxed marginally. ' _Maybe this won't be terrible. I'm kinda sorry I scratched him now.'_

"That's easy enough," the receptionist nodded. "Anything else?"

"Also a general check-up and shots," Kuroo added.

' _Nevermind, I take it back,'_ Kagome thought as her trust in Kuroo was shot dead.


	52. Up Next

As soon as she was placed on the metal examination table, Kagome instantly wished she was being held again. It was too cold under the sensitive pads of her feet, and she felt a pang of guilt for every time she'd done this exact thing to Buyo.

Kagome was still adjusting to the table when the vet entered the room, shutting the door behind her.

The woman made small talk with the boys as she moved a chip reader along Kagome's neck and shoulders. "Well, it doesn't look like she's chipped," she said. "So let's move on to the check-up."


	53. Say What

After being weighed and having her heart and lungs checked, Kagome knew that she wasn't going to like what was coming when the vet suggested one of the boys hold her. She didn't even know cats could make the sound she made when her temperature was taken.

Some in-office blood work, a couple of shots (which weren't nearly as bad as the thermometer), and checks of her ears, coat, skin, and teeth, and Kagome was worn out. It was almost over though, thankfully.

"So," the vet started, "have you given any thought to having her spayed?"

Kagome's eyes went wide.


	54. Last Question

"She's not actually my cat," Kuroo explained. "So I don't really think that's my call."

The vet was quiet for a second before blinking as though she'd just remembered something. "Oh right," she laughed, hand touching the chip reader still on the table. "I'm so used to asking with new patients that it just came out."

It was turning out to be a rollercoaster of a day, for multiple reasons, and Kagome wasn't sure how much more she could take.

"Well, that's it for the check-up," the vet said, scanning her clipboard. "Any other questions or concerns for now?"

"Actually…"


	55. Easy Choice

"I've only had her for a couple of days," Kuroo told the vet. "But I haven't seen her self-groom at all. I was just wondering if that was normal."

The vet glanced down at Kagome and explained, "That's most likely be due to the stress of being in a new environment with new people. Try brushing her to see if you can prompt her back into grooming herself. If that doesn't work, you may have to bathe her yourself."

As Kuroo picked Kagome up and thanked the vet, Kagome looked up at him.

' _Between hairballs and baths, I'm picking baths.'_


	56. Long Day

On their way back to Kuroo's house, they stopped to pick up a new brush that would get through Kagome's thick fur. In her bag, Kagome had definitely felt better, and she couldn't help thinking about how Buyo always seemed a little run-down after he got his shots.

When Kenma finally took her out of the bag and set her on Kuroo's bed, she didn't even bother getting down for a good stretch and chose to simply lie down. A nap sounded perfect and the gentle pressure of a brush massaging her only further helped lull her off to sleep.


	57. Getting Closer

Kagome only woke up as Kenma was leaving. After a good stretch, she realized that she felt much better than she had after the vet visit.

The rest of the evening was following Kuroo around the house; watching him eat dinner, trying to con him out of some real food, watching him finish a couple of assignments.

When it was time for bed, she jumped onto the bed on her own and watched Kuroo settle into his strange sleeping position. Hesitating before curling up by his calf, she instead opted to move a little higher to sleep against his hip.


	58. Passing Time

As days passed, Kagome and Kuroo settled into a routine.

Kuroo woke up with his alarm, Kagome napped while he got ready for school, then she would explore the house after he left. There had been a few attempts to communicate her humanity to him, but he'd been more confused than anything. Mostly, she tried to distract herself from worrying about her family.

After practice, Kagome listened to Kuroo and his mother before she went to work and he did his homework. Every other day, Kuroo would brush through her thick fur.

Then one day he came home with shampoo.


	59. Another Oddity

Kagome was purring as soon as she saw the shampoo bottle. She was on his desk almost instantly, lightly headbutting the bottle before rubbing against Kuroo's hands.

"What's gotten into you?" Kuroo laughed, playing along and rubbing Kagome's head and down her spine. "You aren't usually this affectionate."

Kagome rubbed against the bottle again and looked up at him expectantly.

"You _want_ a bath?" One more thing for Kuroo to add to this cat's list of oddities.

Kagome meowed in the warbled way she hadn't quite gotten the hang of yet and Kuroo laughed again. "Okay," he said. "After dinner."


	60. Bath Time

Kagome waited with barely contained patience for Kuroo and his mother to finish their dinner and then for Kuroo to brush out any loose fur. If there was one thing that Kagome hadn't lost since becoming a cat, it was her love and desire to be clean.

She followed him into the bathroom where he was filling a small tub with water. Kagome didn't even wait and was under the water before Kuroo even sit on the stool he brought over.

"Really?" He asked, staring at her. "You couldn't wait?"

Kagome ignored him as she melted under the running water.


	61. Content Kitty

Sitting perfectly content as Kuroo lathered up her fur with citrus-scented shampoo, a soft and constant purr reverberated through Kagome's chest. Would she rather be soaking in a tub as a human? Absolutely. Was she going to fight Kuroo on the only way should get clean for the time being? No way.

Kuroo kept laughing at her as she happily complied with the lather and rinse and even when he broke out a blow-dryer to brush her out to her dry, fluffy glory. Let him laugh, she thought. She was clean and happier than she'd been in a good while.


	62. A Confession

Once Kagome was squeaky clean, Kuroo settled on his bed to do some reading for class.

When Kagome jumped up to join him and see what they were covering in class, Kuroo adjusted the hold on his book to make room for her.

"Can you keep a secret?" Kuroo asked her in a hushed tone even though they were the only ones in the house.

Kagome gave him a flat look. ' _Who am I going to tell?'_

"I kinda hope nobody claims you and you can stay here. You might knock my stuff over, but I like having you around."


	63. One Day

Kagome couldn't stop thinking about what Kuroo had said. Even as she laid against his hip while he slept, she thought about what she knew of Kuroo now that she had a behind-the-scenes look.

He had friends and was fairly popular at school, worked hard in class and volleyball, usually seemed pretty happy if a little snarky.

But he was usually alone at home. Kenma would usually come over, they'd study together, but then he was alone. He was lonelier than he ever let on at school.

Knowing what she knew, she wanted to try harder to be his friend.


	64. Getting Nowhere

As a few days turned into a week and a week turned into two and a half - almost three - Kuroo noticed his feline houseguest getting more and more restless. He wondered if she was realizing the likelihood of being found or claimed by her original owners was getting less and less.

In the time he'd had her, there had been a couple of inquiries that had turned out to be false alarms. But he was _sure_ she was someone's pet. How could she not be?

' _Maybe I should think about giving her a real name. Can't call her "Kitty" forever."_


	65. Another Opinion

"I still don't know what to call her," Kuroo said, watching Kenma play some new game as they took the train to school.

Kenma didn't even hit pause. "What's wrong with "Kitty"?"

"That's not a name. It's… a noun."

"Still better than calling her "Kuro"."

"She needs an actual name."

Kenma hummed but didn't say what he was thinking.

"What?" Kuroo asked, knowing there was _something_.

"You're gonna get attached if you name her."

Kuroo rolled his eyes but thought of all the pictures on his phone of a very photogenic black cat. "I think it's too late for that."


	66. Almost Normal

Even without Kagome sitting in front of him, class was back to normal.

She wasn't the hot gossip topic anymore. Nobody whispered and speculated about what was wrong with her or when she might be back. Everyone knew that her friends took her all of her missed assignments and homework, either her brother or mother would bring them back by the school, and nobody was allowed to actually see her.

There was still that wave of concern when Kagome didn't show up, but there were other things in Kuroo's life that demanded his attention.

But that was about to change.


	67. Before the Storm

The house was quiet.

Dinner had been prepared, eaten, and cleaned up. Kuroo's mother had left for work some time earlier. Kagome sat on the corner of Kuroo's desk looking over his shoulder as he studied for some upcoming quiz, but she looked up when he sat back and rubbed at his eyes.

Taking a needed break, Kuroo watched Kagome as she continued to stare at him, and he thought back to his conversation with Kenma that morning.

"I can't just call you "Kitty" forever, right?"

' _I don't plan on being here forever,'_ Kagome thought.

"What can I call you?"


	68. Full Moon Surprise

Kagome turned away from Kuroo, not wanting to think about being a cat long enough to need a proper name. Her tail twitched anxiously as she looked out the window by Kuroo's desk.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Kuroo asked, giving Kagome a pet and looking where her attention seemed to be. "Looking at the moon? It's big tonight."

There was a feeling of restlessness buzzing under her skin, the feeling building as the last rays of sunlight faded from the sky. Finally, with only the full moon in the sky, the buzzing feeling burst outwards with a bright flash of light.


	69. Catching Up

The scare of the sudden light caused Kuroo to tip backwards in his chair, but even through the crash of the chair and the shock of hitting the floor, he heard a high-pitched yelp that _definitely_ didn't come from him.

Blinking to clear away the spots in his vision, he rolled off his downed chair and looked around for the source of the light only to stop dead when he saw his crush sitting dazed on his bed.

"Kagome?" Kuroo asked as his brain struggled to catch up. When it finally did, it registered that she was very _very_ naked.


	70. Unexpected

Kuroo's hand slapped over his eyes so fast he was worried about bruising the bridge of his nose. His mind spiraled, no clue what was happening, just trying to latch onto any thought.

"I'm sorry!" He blurted. "I didn't mean to look. I mean… I _saw_ … a little. But it was completely unintentional!" Groping around the floor for the jacket that had been on the back of his chair, he offered it up without uncovering his eyes.

As he heard the zipper slide up, he also heard Kagome ask, "Can I use your phone?"

Kuroo's hand dropped in shock. " _What?_ "


	71. Priorities

When her vision cleared, Kagome immediately noticed her bare human knees on clear display before her. She then noticed Kuroo staring blankly at her (thankfully keeping his eyes on her face). But by the time she grabbed his pillows for cover, he'd already covered his eyes and started apologizing.

She didn't know _how_ it happened and she didn't know _why_ , but right now she didn't really care. There was only one thing on her mind: contacting her family.

"Can I use your phone?"

" _What?_ "

"Your phone," she repeated. "I need to call my mom."

Kuroo could only stare in bewilderment.


	72. Down to Business

Standing from the bed, Kagome spotted Kuroo's cell on his desk. "Can I?" She asked again.

Kuroo looked like he was _trying_ to find something to say but wasn't having much luck. Kagome leaned down in front of where he sat in the floor and waved a hand in front of his face. "Are you okay?"

"I…" Kuroo blinked, shaking his head.

"Okay, then…" Kagome picked up Kuroo's phone and dialed home. "Mama! I'm okay. I don't know what happened. Okay. Yeah, I do. Okay. One second." Turning towards the boy on the floor, she asked, "Kuroo, what's your address?"


	73. Breaking Point

Kuroo snapped back to reality with a hand waving in front of his face.

"Kuroo?" Kagome asked, trying to gain his attention. "I don't know where this is," she gestured vaguely to the house. "I need your address so my mom can bring me clothes."

Rattling off his address, he listened to Kagome wrap up her call before he looked around and hopefully asked, "Where's the cat?"

Kagome stared at him for a moment before sighing, " _I_ was the cat."

Kuroo nodded. "That's what I… was _really_ hoping wasn't the truth. _What is happening right now?!_ "

"That's a little complicated."


	74. Uncharted Territory

"Getting a new play just right is _complicated_ ," Kuroo started. "Juggling time between home, school, clubs, and studying is _complicated_. Going through a custody battle with your parents is _complicated_. You were a cat! That's not complicated. That's… that's _impossible!_ "

"Well obviously not!" Kagome shouted back, nerves finally beginning to fray. Anxious energy buzzed under her skin as she stared down at Kuroo, no idea how to handle the situation. The supernatural parts of her life had always been kept within her family.

But now there was an outsider.

This boy from class.

And Kagome suddenly realized she was scared.


	75. Character Analysis

Kagome knew that there could be trouble if Kuroo decided to raise a commotion about her situation.

If anyone bothered to look closely enough at her medical history, they wouldn't find much. Certainly not the myriad of illnesses and diseases she was _supposed_ to have had in middle school. There would be too many questions with no answers that she could give.

She knew Kuroo, but she didn't _know_ him.

"Here."

Kagome suddenly found herself staring at a pair of drawstring shorts being held out by a furiously blushing Kuroo.

Was this the kind of guy who would out her?


	76. Blushing Bright

After her outburst, Kagome stared at Kuroo with a wide-eyed thoughtfulness.

Kuroo swallowed, waiting to see what she would say or what would happen next, but everything was still and quiet. In that pause, Kuroo's eyes drifted down (involuntarily, of course) to Kagome's bare legs. The thought that she wasn't wearing anything underneath his volleyball jacket suddenly hit him like a brick, and Kuroo was _sure_ that his face caught on fire.

He quickly rummaged through a drawer, feeling more than looking, for a clean pair of _anything_.

Shorts in hand, Kuroo stood and offered them with a strained "Here."


	77. A Good Distraction

As Kagome tried to adjust the shorts so that they'd actually stay up, a new thought struck Kuroo.

It took every ounce of self-control Kuroo possessed not to physically cringe as every mildly embarrassing thing he'd done over the past couple of weeks played back through his memory. Every off-key song in the bathroom, every lame joke he told his mom, every odd habit he'd never want his crush to see. Kagome was always watching. Closely.

Before he spiraled too far however, there was a soft grumble and Kuroo looked at Kagome who was blushing and covering her stomach.

' _Cute.'_


	78. No One's Pet

Things were quiet between them for several long seconds after Kagome's stomach demanded attention. Then Kuroo spoke up, "I could make something for you if you're hungry."

Kagome looked conflicted for a moment, blush still staining her cheeks, before she sighed and with a small bow said, "Please, I would… really appreciate it."

Even as Kuroo smiled down at her and nodded, Kagome couldn't shake her embarrassment. She knew she was more-or-less being forced by her circumstances, but she felt awkward about relying so much on Kuroo, especially now that she was human.

Clothes, shelter, food. She was no pet.


	79. Compliments to the Chef

Kagome watched Kuroo out of the corner of her eye as he made a quick meal of fried rice. She was a little preoccupied with touching everything. Feeling things under human fingertips again was soothing a lot of her anxiety.

Kuroo plated her food and set it on the table for her. Kagome dug in but paused after two bites.

Visibly tensing, Kuroo asked, "Is something… wrong?"

Kagome stared down at the plate before looking up at Kuroo, eyes wide and a slow smile overtaking her face. She covered her mouth with a hand before saying, "This is _really good_."


	80. Denial Before Acceptance

What was his life? Currently, Kuroo was leaning towards either a fever dream or some sort of hallucination. Maybe he fell, hit his head, and he was passed out somewhere in his house. Or in a coma in the hospital. Had the team been visiting him? They better. He was their beloved captain.

"Kuroo?" Kagome's voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he suddenly realized he'd been staring.

"Hm?"

"Thanks for dinner," she said with a soft smile.

"No problem." Kuroo tried to keep the slight hysteria out of his voice. He just had to ride this out. Right?


	81. Disappearance Anxiety

It wasn't long after Kuroo had washed, dried, and put away the last of the dishes that there was a knock at the door. Kagome waited hesitantly around a corner in case it was someone who shouldn't know she was there, but she was out of her hiding spot as soon as she heard her mother's voice.

Kagome didn't even make it to her mother's arms before a body only a little smaller than herself collided with her. "Souta?" She wheezed.

Feeling fists twist with handfuls of Kuroo's jacket, Kagome shushed her brother as he softly spoke, "You disappeared again."


	82. Sincere Thanks

Kuroo watched the family reunion in his living room disbelievingly.

Kagome Higurashi was his cat. He wasn't even considering how _that_ was possible yet.

Kagome Higurashi, his long-time crush, was wearing his clothes.

Kagome Higurashi's mother and brother (he assumed) were fawning over her and asking a million questions and crying in his house.

Kagome Higurashi's mother was looking at him. Was walking to stand in front of him.

"You've been taking care of my daughter?"

Kuroo cleared his throat, still a little unsure about this entire situation. "Yes ma'am."

Kagome Higurashi's mother was bowing deeply to him. "Thank you."


	83. Don't Be Rude

"Mama, this is Kuroo," Kagome introduced as she looked through the bag her mother had brought her. "He sits behind me in class."

"Oh, so you already knew each other?" Mama Higurashi asked looking up at Kuroo with a polite smile. "That makes me feel a little better."

Kuroo opened his mouth to respond but thought it over and snapped it shut with an audible _click_ before he said something rude. Really though, this woman was taking things _way_ too well.

"What's this?" Kagome asked pulling a notebook out of her bag. Flipping through, she saw pages of Grandpa's handwriting.


	84. Questions and Answers

Looking at what Kagome held, Mama Higurashi spoke, "After we had an idea of what happened, Grandpa pulled out every scroll the shrine had in relation to the box you opened. Some were quite old and needed translation, but all of his notes are in that notebook."

Kagome immediately flipped open to the first page as she made her way to the couch Kuroo was leaning against. Sitting, she scanned over the words and frowned before reading it again. With a groan, she looked at her mother and asked, "Is Gramps sure that this is right?"

"He seemed fairly certain."


	85. Abridged Explanation

' _Don't ask, don't ask, this is already too much, don't ask,'_ Kuroo thought, biting his lip.

"What's it say?" He asked.

' _Dammit.'_

Skimming over the words again, Kagome said, "Something about a cursed tanuki spirit being sealed in a box I opened. It was a prankster that went too far a few too many times while alive and now has to help people, but it takes liberties with the _how_. It's a two-birds-one-stone situation where I have to help someone while it helps me."

"And… where is it?"

"In me," Kagome sighed, head in her hands. "I'm possessed. _Again_."

" _Again?!_ "


	86. A Little Consideration

Kagome startled a little at Kuroo's outburst and, for the first time in a while, took a moment to really _look_ at him. Despite the mostly calm face he was trying to keep, she could see the stress bubbling just underneath.

It suddenly occurred to Kagome what Kuroo must really be going through, having the impossible happen right in front of him. She'd experienced it herself years ago, but it had become so normal to her that now she was only focused on the _why_ instead of the _what_.

"Kuroo," Kagome spoke gently to get his attention. "Are you okay?"


	87. Coming Around

"Yeah," Kuroo responded automatically. "I'm okay." Then, after a moment of thought, he backtracked. "Actually, no, I'm not. The longer this goes on, the more I think I'm either suffering head trauma or this _might actually_ be happening. But not long ago you were a cat and now you say you've been possessed this entire time, so… no, I don't think I'm okay right now. This isn't how the world is supposed to work."

Kuroo took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh while Kagome stared at him.

"Yeah, we all know the feeling," Souta chimed in.


	88. Not Your Problem

Kagome shot Souta a look before turning back to Kuroo. "It's okay," she started, but when he gave her a flat look, she decided to rephrase. "Well, not _okay_ , not right now, but it'll get there? I know what being thrown into something like this headfirst feels like. You can't unlearn any of it, but you adjust. Eventually."

When Kuroo continued to stare, Kagome sighed. "I'm sorry you got mixed up in this, Kuroo. Give me a few minutes to get changed, I'll go home with Mama, and you can try to write it off as a dream or something."


	89. Sealed Lips

The quiet between Kuroo and Kagome's family was awkward at best as she changed in his room, but really, what was he supposed to say? These were people he'd only just met and under some very strange circumstances.

Luckily, Kagome was quick and rejoined them in some of her own casual clothes as she said, "I left your jacket and shorts on your bed."

Kuroo nodded his thanks and walked the trio to the door. Kagome lagged behind for a moment to ask "You're not gonna tell anyone about this, right?"

"And have everyone think I'm insane? Not a chance."


	90. Not Going Anywhere

Nodding, Kagome said, "Sorry, but it's for the best." She felt like she should say _something_ , say _more_ , but she couldn't think of what might be appropriate in the situation. Finally, she settled on "Well, I guess I'll see you… later." Though she had no idea when "later" might be.

"See you," Kuroo waved her off, a strange tightness in his chest. As strange as everything was, he wasn't ready for Kagome to leave yet. He wanted answers, wanted to know more.

His wish was granted when Kagome hit a seemingly invisible wall trying to walk out his front door.


	91. Testing a Theory

Kagome tried to wave a hand through the doorway only for it to be knocked away. Taking a deep breath to try and keep herself calm, she looked at Kuroo and asked, "Can you get out of your house?"

Cautiously, Kuroo stepped through the open door to stand beside Kagome's family.

"Oh, come on!" Kagome groaned. "How is this fair?"

Kuroo entered the house again saying, "But I've left the house with you before, when you were a cat." Thinking it over for a moment, he lightly gripped Kagome's wrist and pulled her through the doorway with him, no problem.


	92. The Real Question

Once back in his house so that they wouldn't draw attention just standing outside his house, Kuroo plus the Higurashi's stared between Kagome and the door.

"Why me?" Kagome sighed under her breath. "I really thought all this was behind me."

"Hey, Kagome," Souta said, holding the notebook their grandfather had sent. "Gramps said those scrolls talked about you having to help someone while the spirit helps you. I think it's trying to tell you who to help."

Kagome looked at Kuroo who stared back and shrugged. Rounding back on Souta, she asked, "What do either of us even need?!"


	93. A Request

With barely more than a hug, a promise to be in touch, and a "you'll have to figure it out," Kagome's family left, leaving Kagome and Kuroo alone on the couch in a heavy silence.

"I have a question," Kuroo said breaking the quiet of the room.

"I'd be surprised if you didn't have a few."

"What's your story?" When Kagome simply stared at him, he continued, "You said you were possessed  _again_. What happened to you?"

"That's a big question," Kagome sighed. "And no offense, Kuroo, but you didn't take  _this_  well. Mine is a story for another day."


	94. Argument For Chivalry

"I'm not taking your bed," Kagome argued as they stood in Kuroo's room staring at his bed.

"I can't make you take the floor."

"We have no idea if or when I'll turn back into a cat," Kagome pointed out. "The notes Gramps sent were a little vague on that. At the very least, we  _know_  you have to get up for school and practice in the morning. I can handle sleeping on the floor for a night."

Kuroo sighed, rubbing his face. She wasn't wrong, but it  _felt_  wrong.

Still, he couldn't bring himself to suggest they share either.


	95. Dashed Hopes

Kuroo woke up to his alarm with a start. Quickly sitting up in bed, he tried to remember if he'd eaten anything strange the day before to trigger such a crazy and vivid dream.

His cat was his crush possessed by a cursed tanuki spirit? And they were stuck together for the foreseeable future? His dreams were rarely so fantastical. Odd.

Shifting his attention to the floor, he saw the spare futon he kept for when Kenma slept over, his cat stretched out near the top, rumpled girls' clothes scattered across it.

' _Oh no.'_

Kuroo paled. It wasn't a dream.


	96. Shifting Views

Needing time to think over recent events before confronting cat-Kagome, Kuroo left his house early.

On the train, he asked Kenma, "Do you believe in magic?"

Kenma looked up from his phone. "What?"

"Or anything like that? Magic, ghosts, fairytales, whatever."

Kenma gave Kuroo a long, considering look before asking, "Why?"

Kuroo tried to to think of what to say. "Just considering things from a new perspective, I guess."

"Your bedroom light was on really late last night," Kenma pointed out with slight concern. "Did you get enough sleep?"

"I'm fine," Kuroo tried to brush off. "Just some weird dreams."


	97. Why Not

It was almost halfway through lunch when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. One new message.

' _You're Kuroo, right? This is Souta. Kagome's brother. I got your number from Mom's phone.'_

Kuroo stared at his phone. Should he even reply? He somehow felt that would only dig him deeper into all this weirdness. But before he could say anything, another message came.

' _Can I come see my sister after school?'_

Bold kid.

Kuroo sighed. Why even deny it? He was beyond just being in a little deep. He was already in over his head.

' _Sure. But after dinner.'_


	98. Double Checking

Before afternoon practice started, Kuroo slipped away to the side of the gym to make a phone call.

Two rings and then: " _Hello, Kuroo-san,"_  Kagome's mother greeted happily. " _Is everything going well with Kagome?"_

"Everything's fine," Kuroo said, a little caught off guard by her greeting. "I'm actually calling because of Souta. He asked earlier if he could come see Kagome today. I wanted to make sure you knew."

" _Oh, yes, I know. As long as it won't be a bother to you, I don't mind."_

"No, it's fine," Kuroo said, though he was starting to wonder about this family.


	99. Study Buddy

After dinner, Kagome sat on Kuroo's desk to semi-study what he was working on.

She heaved the biggest sigh she could with her small body. It was now obvious how far she was falling behind. For her third year of high school, it wasn't good.

Kagome didn't even lift her eyes from Kuroo's textbook when the doorbell rang. It wasn't unusual for Kenma to visit. Kuroo left the room to answer it and Kagome tested how well she could turn pages with cat paws.

A moment later, her head shot up when she heard a familiar voice down the hall.


	100. A Different Reunion

Kagome nearly knocked Kuroo's book off his desk in her hurry to jump down and run into the hall.

She wasn't hearing things. There, stepping inside as Kuroo closed the door behind him, carrying a worn and ratty yellow backpack stuffed with  _something_  was Souta. When he spotted her, he set the backpack aside and crouched down closer to her level.

Kuroo watched them from the sidelines as Souta picked up his older sister and held her up to get a good look at her. And then Souta began to laugh, "How do you get yourself into stuff like this?"


	101. Communication Is Key

Souta held Kagome out at arm’s length as she kicked her back feet at him. He told Kuroo, “I brought some stuff I thought Kagome might need."  
  
When Kuroo motioned towards the backpack, Souta nodded. Kuroo crouched to look inside; clothes, textbooks, notebooks, and… an old toy computer? It was the type of thing for small children with a simple screen and big colorful buttons.  
  
“Oh that!” Souta said sitting in the floor with Kagome. “We had it in storage and I thought you guys might be able to use it. If her paws can push the buttons, that is.”


	102. Ahead Of His Class

****While Souta turned on the toy computer and gave the buttons a few test taps, Kuroo looked through the notebooks and asked, "What's this?"

"The missed work Kagome's teachers have been sending home."

Kuroo paused as he looked over it. "How is some of it already complete?"

"Right, so…" Looking at Kagome, Souta smiled sheepishly. "I've either been doing you a huge favor or ruining your class ranking."

Kuroo had never seen a cat look so utterly horrified before. "It's… correct," he assured, flipping through some pages. "Most of it, anyway." He quirked a brow at Souta.

"Google is great."


	103. Tricky Questions

"Has nobody noticed the handwriting?" Kuroo asked, though he had to admit it was all relatively neat. More so than he'd typically give a pre-teen boy credit for.

"Not really," Souta shrugged. "I used to practice copying her handwriting a few years ago in case it ever came up, but this is the first time I've really used it."

Kuroo stared at Souta for a long moment before shifting his gaze to Kagome pressing oversized keyboard buttons. Finally he asked, "You all keep referencing or alluding to something that happened a while back. What's that about?"

Souta's eyes widened. "Umm…"


	104. Getting Nowhere Fast

Suddenly, Kagome meowed loudly, startling both boys. Her tail thumped and twitched in irritation as she pressed one paw against her little computer's screen where a single word had been typed.

' _No.'_

Souta sighed, weight off his shoulders now that the decision had been made for him. "Sorry," he said, with an absolutely unapologetic smile to Kuroo. "But it looks like Kagome doesn't want you to know yet."

"How much weirder can it be than  _this_?"

Both Higurashi siblings gave him a look that clearly said "You have no idea."

"Okay," Kuroo sighed. " _When_  might she tell me?"

Souta shrugged.


	105. A Proposition

"So I was thinking," Souta started as he looked around the living room where they were still sitting in the floor. "Maybe I could come over a couple days a week and fill out Kagome's missed work?"

Kuroo looked at Souta for further explanation.

"I mean, you can tutor her so she doesn't actually fall behind, right? I'll just fill out her assignments and one of us, whoever, can make sure they're turned in."

Watching the boy fidget for a moment, Kuroo smiled in understanding. "If you want to visit your sister, you can just ask."

"Really?"

Kuroo nodded.

"Thanks!"


	106. Home Tutor

Souta stayed a little longer, setting up a visit schedule with Kuroo and generally getting to better know the person responsible for looking after his sister. Kuroo had to admit that he kinda liked Kagome's little brother. He was a smart kid, cared for his sister, and seemed oddly resourceful.

Kuroo noticed that Kagome stared at the door for a long while after Souta left. Sitting in the floor with her, he asked, "You miss him, huh?"

Tapping her computer buttons, Kagome replied, " _Of course."_

"He'll be back."

" _I know."_

Shifting gears, Kuroo asked, "Until then, wanna check your homework?"


	107. Something Familiar

As Kuroo went through Kagome's missed work Souta had completed, checking accuracy, he also walked Kagome through the processes and abridged versions of lessons she'd missed. The entire time, Kagome sat on his desk, tail lazily swishing, occasionally tapping out a question or comment on the little computer he set up for her.

After about an hour, the reality of the situation hit Kuroo and he paused. It was still overwhelming. His forehead thunked against his desk.

A paw pushed into his hair, pressing against his temple.

Tipping his head, he saw concerned eyes watching him.

' _They're still so blue.'_


	108. Getting Permission

Kuroo reached out in reflex before something occurred to him and he stopped. Sitting up, he asked, "Do you even like it being petted?"

Kagome's eyes shifted away from him for a moment before she stepped to her computer and typed " _It's"_  but she paused before continuing " _nice."_

"So is it okay if I keep petting you?"

Kuroo could see Kagome think it over. It showed in the way her tail flicked and curled or when her toes would flex. Finally, she answered, " _Sure."_

Something inside Kuroo felt warm at being given permission and he couldn't stop himself from grinning.


	109. Nonverbal Communication

As he got ready for bed that evening, Kuroo watched Kagome try to figure out how to turn book pages with her paws. Finally, he asked, "Since I know you're not actually a cat now, should I get you your own bed?" When she looked up at him, he clarified, "A cat bed, something your size. I'd make sure it was nice, I just… didn't want you to be uncomfortable. Sleeping in my bed. With me."

Kagome simply jumped from the desk to Kuroo's bed where she proceeded to curl up on the corner.

"I'll take that as a no."


	110. Human Things

Stretching out, pressed against Kuroo's side and soaking up the heat that radiated off him, Kagome thought more about Kuroo's offer.

Her own bed.

She wouldn't have to worry about someone several times her size rolling over on her during the night or having to wake up and adjust every time the large human next to her shifted in his sleep.

But she couldn't quite bring herself to want it. Even if it meant sharing a bed, she wanted to hold onto things that made her feel like the human she really was. If that meant sharing, so be it.


	111. Finally Named

The next morning at the breakfast table, as Kuroo woke up and his mother wound down, things were mostly quiet. At least until Kuroo's mother came up with a question.

"So," she began, "any leads on getting the kitty home?"

"Nobody's claimed her." Not quite a lie. She didn't actually  _belong_  to anyone.

"Well then, unless you're planning on taking her to a shelter, you might want to think about giving her a name."

Kuroo wouldn't say he was great at naming things, but knowing what he now knew, the choice was obvious. "I was thinking about calling her Kagome."


	112. Denial and News

"That's an… interesting name," Kuroo's mother commented.

"Kagome's also a girl from school," Kuroo tried to sound nonchalant. "Black hair, blue eyes, it seemed to fit."

His mother's voice took on a knowing tone as she simply said, "Oh?"

"She sits in front of me in class."

"I see."

"That's it."

"Mmhmm," she hummed as she sipped her tea, eyeing him over the rim of her cup.

"Oh my god," Kuroo muttered, head in his hands and suddenly very glad Kagome was still dozing in his room.

"Oh," his mom spoke, changing the subject. "You should know, your dad called."


	113. Sore Subject

Kuroo's frown was instant. "What did he want?"

"I'm not sure," his mother explained. "He's called me a couple of times but I'm either at work or sleeping. I try to call him back, but our schedules don't really line up."

"No voicemail?"

She shook her head. "Nothing so far. I just wanted to tell you in case he calls you. I didn't want you to be surprised."

"I need to get to school," Kuroo suddenly announced as he stood.

"Tetsu?"

"I'm fine," he tried to reassure her as he grabbed his bag. "If he calls, I'll deal with it."


	114. Not-So-Secret Crush

When Kagome woke up, she stretched and decided to see if Kuroo had already left for the day. She wandered into the kitchen to see only his mother cleaning up the few breakfast dishes.

When the woman noticed her, she smiled and crouched down. "So I hear your name is Kagome."

Kagome panicked for a moment, thinking Kuroo had spilled their secret.

"There's only one reason I can think of that a boy would name his cat after a girl from class," she continued. "Maybe he'll bring your namesake over for dinner someday."

Kagome was relieved until realization hit. ' _What?'_


	115. In Hindsight

Kagome usually spent her days napping, sunning by windows, trying to choke down cat food, and possibly getting into a little mischief as an outlet for her more petty frustrations.

Today, she was distracted.

She kept remembering little moments from before she opened that stupid box. Times from class, sitting in front of Kuroo. Dumb little jokes. Teasing he usually reserved for people he was closer with. Asking for clarification on things she  _knew_  he should be able to understand on his own.

Kagome sighed.

She'd always been bad about seeing these sort of things when it came to herself.


	116. Making It Official

Between morning practice and homeroom, Kuroo stopped by the teachers' office. He had a little creative explaining to do.

But when he opened the office door, their math teacher glanced up and noticed him first. "Kuroo, I'm guessing you're here to turn in some of Higurashi's work?"

Surprised, Kuroo had to adjust his plan quickly. "Yes sir," he said, digging into his bag for the work Souta had already completed.

"We already got a call from her mother. It's good to know she'll have a capable tutor until she's back."

Again, Kuroo found himself beyond surprised with the Higurashi family.


	117. Protective...Again

After each class, their teachers made sure to hand off a packet of home study work for him to take to Kagome. None of them were exactly subtle about it. There were questions from his friends and looks from their classmates.

Including Kagome's friends.

Kuroo waited. He knew it was coming.

Through class and lunch, they left him alone. But when the last class was finished, the classroom was straightened up, and it was time for him to head to afternoon practice, Kuroo saw a trio of girls waiting for him in the hall.

' _Now or never,'_  he mentally sighed.


	118. Questioning: Round Two

Bracing himself, Kuroo stepped into the hall.

"You're tutoring Kagome?" Ayumi cut straight to the point.

"Yes," Kuroo nodded.

"I didn't think she could have any visitors," Yuka commented.

"Well, she needs to be able to keep up," Kuroo hedged. "Everyone thinks it's a necessary risk." That tasted like a lie.

"Isn't what she has right now contagious?" Eri asked.

"I wear a mask." That was definitely a lie.

"How'd you even become her tutor?" Yuka asked. "I didn't think you knew each other that well."

"Her mother arranged it with a teacher."

Great. Now he felt like a liar.


	119. A Necessary Evil

Kuroo was able to distract himself during practice and with some light teasing at Kenma's expense on the way home, but once he was in his room, looking at Kagome as she watched him in return, the guilt of outright lying came trickling back.

Kuroo knew what kind of person he was. He liked to tease and provoke. He liked finding little gaps in people's defenses and poking them. But that was all in good fun. He didn't hurt people. He didn't lie.

"I had to lie to your friends today."

" _I've had to lie to them for three years."_


	120. Knowing and Understanding

Kuroo knew the truth would sound crazy to anyone who heard it. The truth about Kagome currently being a cat or the truth behind whatever secrets Kagome was still holding onto. But still, the idea of keeping something that big about your life completely to yourself seemed… hard.

"Does anyone outside of me or your family know?"

Kagome thought of friends she was separated from by a 500-year gap. " _No."_

"Would you ever tell anyone else?"

" _Would you tell Kenma about this?"_

And in that moment, Kuroo  _knew_  the answer,  _understood_  by applying the question to his own life. "No."


	121. Relationship Evolution

Kagome watched as Kuroo pulled out and arranged all the work their teachers sent for her. She listened as he talked about his day, her mother's call to the school, her friends' questions. And the entire time she wondered what this was like for him.

She now knew that he liked her, and she remembered how odd and flustering living and traveling with Inuyasha had been at times.

And all of her thoughts kept raising the question: how did she feel about him?

She'd previously seen him as an acquaintance, maybe a friend, but knew something was shifting between them.


	122. Just Kuroo

Knowing how Kuroo felt was odd when she'd never given much thought to how she felt about him. Now that she was, it was even stranger.

Kagome could admit that he was a nice guy. Funny, smart, cute. She just hadn't really been looking for anyone to date. In turn, it'd never occurred to her that anyone would be interested in  _her_.

Of course, given her current situation, it wasn't something she had the luxury to consider.

Until things were sorted out, the recategorizing of Kuroo's place in her life would have to wait. For now, he was just Kuroo.


	123. Unexpected Visitor

Kagome and Kuroo were well into their study-slash-tutor session, alone in the house after Kuroo's mother had left for work, when there was a knock at the front door.

Kuroo put his pencil down and stretched. "Could be Kenma," he told her, but he frowned a little when he checked his phone and didn't see any messages about his friend dropping by.

When Kuroo went to see who was at the door, Kagome followed after, trotting along by his ankles. She climbed up to the back of the couch in time to see Kuroo look through the peephole and tense.


	124. Tense Reunion

Kagome watched as Kuroo pressed his forehead to the door, took a deep breath, and sighed before stepping back to open the door. "Dad."

Kagome had to tip her head at the tone Kuroo used. It was completely flat, giving no impression that Kuroo was by any means pleased to see his father. She could only partially see the older man since Kuroo, who was just a little taller and broader, still stood in the doorway.

"Tetsurou," he sounded surprised but recovered and cleared his throat. "Can I come in?"

Kuroo leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms. "No."


	125. Poor Choice of Words

"I did used to live here."

"Used to," Kuroo reminded, the hard edge to his voice making Kagome tense from where she continued to watch.

Kuroo's father sighed before getting to his point. "Is your mother home?"

"She's at work." Kuroo was quiet for a second before finally asking, "Why?"

"I send her a check for you every month," the man ground out. "Never hear from either of you. Haven't seen my own son in months. I think I deserve to know how my money's being spent."

Kuroo stood up straight to his full height and Kagome was instantly worried.


	126. A Little Petty

It occurred to Kagome that she'd never seen Kuroo  _angry_ , but she already knew she didn't like it. Jumping down from the couch, Kagome hurried over to press against Kuroo's leg. When he looked down at her, she saw the tension start to ease out of his jaw and shoulders.

"You got a cat?" His dad asked in the quiet that continued to pass between them.

Finally, Kuroo released a heavy sigh and looked back to his father. "Sort of. I'm taking care of her for now." He paused before a small smirk crept onto his face. "With  _your_  money."


	127. One-Sided Feelings

As soon as Kuroo saw his father open his mouth to respond, he continued, "And if you want to know how those checks are spent, you should ask me. Mom signs them over to me, they go into my bank account. I spend some of it on things like clothes, food, stuff for volleyball, school supplies, but most of it is set aside in savings." He watched his father's mouth slowly shut. "Satisfied?"

"Not quite," the man said, giving Kuroo a stern look. "You're still my son. I want to see you more often."

"Well, that makes one of us."


	128. A Brave Face

"What has your mother been telling you?" Kuroo's father scowled. "You didn't used to act this way."

"Mom doesn't have anything to do with this," Kuroo quickly defended. "I remember how things used to be. But I'm older now, in my last year of high school. I'm busy with volleyball and studying. I'll have entrance exams for university later this year." Kagome was startled when Kuroo stooped down to pick her up but didn't fight it. "I don't have time to spend with people I don't really like."

Despite the firmness in his tone, Kagome could feel Kuroo's hands shaking.


	129. Finished But Unresolved

Kuroo's father - who Kagome could now see Kuroo had gotten his eyes from - seemed to be stunned into silence after hearing what Kuroo had to say.

"I know you went out of your way to stop by," Kuroo started again, "but I was in the middle of studying and still have work to do."

"Fine," his father acquiesced with a defeated sigh. "But when you've calmed down, call me. I want to talk about this."

Breaking eye contact for the first time, Kuroo answered, "Like I said, I'm busy."

Kuroo's father shook his head before finally turning and walking away.


	130. Keeping Secrets

When the door was shut and everything was quiet again, Kuroo pressed his back to the door and slid down until he was sitting. He tipped his head back with a gentle ' _thunk'_  and closed his eyes.

Kagome waited, still cradled in his arms, until he pulled himself back together and set her in the floor in front of him. After a deep breath, he spoke, "Hey, after you're human again… could you not mention this… this  _thing_  with my dad… to anyone?"

Kagome tipped her head, curious why he'd even ask.

"Not even Kenma," he added for clarification.

' _Oh._ '


	131. Doing Her Best

"This isn't really something I tell other people about," Kuroo grinned down at her.

Kagome stared up at Kuroo, taking in the smile that was definitely just covering up the tension still easing its way out of him.

She wanted to help. To ask what had really happened. Let him know she would listen if he wanted to talk. Tell him he didn't have to keep it to himself. She wanted to be there, to help.

Instead, she did what she could and climbed into his lap to press her head to his chest, offering what little comfort she could.


	132. Dreams and Memories

That night Kuroo dreamed of when he was little, when his house was much louder.

Yelling echoed through his dreams and once again he was sitting in the floor against his shut bedroom door, trying to hear what the argument was about this time. His dreams replayed all the times he'd tried to block out the noise with a pillow over his head. And then things were quiet and he was watching his mother cry.

Kuroo woke with a start before reality slowly came back to him. Turning over, he found a pair of near-luminous blue eyes watching him closely.


	133. Talking About It

"Did I wake you up?"

When Kagome tipped her head to the side, Kuroo grinned apologetically. "Sorry."

He was still keyed up from his dreams as he and Kagome stared at each other in the darkness. Reaching up to touch her fur, he waited to see if she'd pull away before idly petting her.

"I was dreaming about when I was little and Dad was still here," he explained. "It's a pretty common story, I guess. Parents fought a lot. Dad cheated. Mom found out and made him leave, but it was still hard on her. On both of us."


	134. Late-Night Stories

Kagome listened to Kuroo talk as he ran his fingers through her fur. He was sleepily rambling about things he'd gone through growing up, both before and after his dad left. It was like once he'd gotten himself started, he couldn't stop.

It all made Kagome remember her own dad, and she thought about how lucky she'd been. She didn't remember much, but everything she remembered was good and happy.

Kuroo closed his eyes with a sigh. "Not even Kenma knows everything. He just knows Dad left one day. He never pushed it."

' _So you've been dealing with it alone.'_


	135. A Quiet Promise

Again Kagome was struck by the desire to help, to be someone who could be there for Kuroo so that he wouldn't have to hold everything inside. And again she was left frustrated by just how little she could do with her current body.

' _One day,'_  she thought. ' _When things are back to normal, I won't forget this.'_  The help he'd offered or the vulnerability he'd shown. Kagome would remember it all.

Kuroo was still talking, voice finally beginning to trail off as sleep found him again, when Kagome tipped her head down to press against his hand and purr.


	136. Sweet Dreams

That night, Kuroo dreamed of Kagome.

She was human again and they were sitting together, just talking. It was bright like they were outside, but he couldn't see their surroundings. He couldn't look away from her.

Kuroo couldn't hear their conversation. He could feel his mouth moving, feel the vibrations in his throat of words coming out, but there was no sound. Still, Kagome smiled and laughed and responded with her own silent words.

He watched her nose crinkle with a laugh and decided he didn't care if he couldn't hear the conversation. This was enough and he was happy.


	137. One-Way Confidant

The next morning, Kagome noticed that Kuroo was in a much better mood as he got ready for school. Maybe talking and getting things off his chest had helped?

In truth, she was a little envious, even though she'd been glad to listen. When was the last time she could really confide in someone? About everything? Before her life had turned into a fairytale, at least.

Watching Kuroo, she thought ' _Maybe.'_  He knew that magic was real and out there now. He also hadn't reacted wonderfully to it. ' _No. It's too much...'_  For Kuroo to take or her to risk.


	138. Showing Thanks

Kagome was dozing in a sunbeam on Kuroo’s bed when he got home from practice that afternoon. She cracked open an eye to let him know she knew he was home, and Kuroo grinned. Kagome had been a huge support for him the night before and he wanted a way to show his thanks.  
  
Then an idea struck him.  
  
“Hey,” he said, waiting until she opened her eyes to look at him. “You want a bath?”  
  
Kagome was off the bed and running towards the bathroom quicker than Kuroo thought he’d ever seen her move. Changing clothes, he followed after.


	139. Setting A Routine

“You’re never gonna clean yourself like a normal cat are you?” Kuroo asked as he lathered up a purring Kagome. He may have also been giving her a mohawk down her back, but she didn’t seem to mind.   
  
Kagome didn’t stop purring under the gentle massage as warm water swirled around her feet, but she did level Kuroo with a flat look.   
  
Kuroo tried to repress a smile. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. In that case, we should probably make baths a regular thing.”   
  
Kagome’s eyes sparkled when she looked back up at him.   
  
“Weekly?”   
  
Kagome meowed at him happily.


	140. Sibling Talk

Kuroo brushed out Kagome's fur while using a low setting on his mom's blow-dryer and tried not to laugh at how fluffy it was making her. Though much like with the shampoo mohawks, she didn't seem to mind one bit.

When his phone buzzed in his pocket, Kuroo paused his ministrations. "It's your brother," he said, checking the text. "He'll be over later tonight." When Kagome's tail swished at the news, Kuroo asked, "You guys are close, huh?"

Kagome's head dipped in an awkward nod and Kuroo smiled. "That's nice. The closest thing I have to a sibling is Kenma."


	141. Not Like Most

"Don't get me wrong, Kenma's great," Kuroo said as he finger-combed through Kagome's fur, checking for damp spots. "I definitely consider him family, but he can be distant. Getting close to him is mostly about learning to read him. I just doubt we have what you and Souta have."

Kagome stretched as Kuroo gave her the all-clear, and she thought about what Kuroo said. If she could talk, she'd tell him that he and Kenma probably  _were_  like most siblings. After everything she and Souta had been through and shared, she doubted many siblings had a relationship like they did.


	142. Not Like It Sounds

When Souta arrived later that night, the first thing he did was hand Kuroo a bag.

"What's this?" Kuroo asked, shutting the door behind Souta.

"Shampoo, toothbrush, stuff like that," Souta explained as he followed Kuroo back to his bedroom. "I thought I'd bring over some of Kagome's stuff for the next time she's human."

"Good idea." Kuroo hadn't actually thought about that.

As soon as Souta laid eyes on Kagome, he started laughing. "Why is your fur so poofy?"

"Oh, she just had a bath."

Souta paused before turning to stare at Kuroo. "You gave my sister a bath?"


	143. Staying In The Loop

Even as Kuroo started to defend himself - "No, I gave a  _cat_  a bath. It's different." - he could feel his ears turning red. Souta didn't say anything more about it beyond giving him a  _look_  that definitely said  _something_.

With a sigh, Kuroo changed the subject, "Do you want snacks or something to drink?"

"Water would be great." When Kuroo left the room, Souta turned to Kagome. "So I've been getting all the gossip about you in your class at Nekoma. A surprising amount involves him."

Kagome tipped her head, confused, until Souta pulled her cell phone from his pocket.


	144. Invasion of Privacy

Even as a cat, Kagome's reaction to seeing her brother in possession of her phone was the same: she lunged at him, attempting to knock it from his hand.

This was the scene Kuroo returned to. A pre-teen boy trying to fend off a large cat that was swiping at a phone held well out of her reach.

"Your friends can't exactly come visit you! It'd be suspicious if they couldn't contact you at all," Souta defended his actions, however much they may have crossed into an invasion of privacy. "So I've been responding to their texts."

Kagome still growled.


	145. Rumor Mill

"Anyway," Souta said, ignoring the way Kagome continued to glower at him, "I thought you should know people are talking about what if Kuroo catches whatever you have and gets the rest of the class sick."

"What?" Kuroo asked handing Souta a bottle of water. He hadn't heard anything about that. Did Kai and Yaku know about this? Surely they would have said something to him.

Souta shrugged. "I mean, there's… other rumors, but I thought you might want to deal with this one soon."

Nodding, Kuroo said, "Thanks." When did his life get so complicated? "Wait. What other rumors?"


	146. The Rumor Mill Turns

Glancing between Kagome and Kuroo, Souta tried to brush off Kuroo's question, "Nothing big or important. I wouldn't worry about it." But when Kuroo leveled him with his best Captain Look that said he wasn't having any of it, Souta sighed. "Kagome's friends have a lot of ideas about you trying to sweep her off her bedridden feet during your tutoring sessions." After a moment, he added with a laugh, "They also have a lot of conflicting opinions about your whole look."

Kuroo groaned.

"Apparently they aren't the only ones in your class talking about this either."

Kuroo groaned louder.


	147. Avoidance via Homework

Kuroo refused to talk about it. He'd deal with the rumors at school, not in front of his crush and her brother.

Instead, he brought focus back to the main reason Souta was even there. He reviewed the work he'd been going over with Kagome since Souta's last visit, and the pre-teen filled in Kagome's worksheets with a darn good forgery.

After a while, Kuroo excused himself for a bathroom break and Souta rested his chin on the desk to look at Kagome. "Your friends seem pretty sure he likes you."

" _I know he does,"_  Kagome typed on her computer.


	148. Accidental Eavesdropping

Souta stopped short, surprised. "Wait. Really? You know for sure that he likes you?"

" _More or less."_

"So I'm guessing he didn't tell you himself?"

" _No."_

"Okay," Souta drawled out. "So how do you know?"

" _His mom. And other things."_

Souta laughed suddenly, before he was able to cover his mouth with his hand. "His mom told you? Does she know about the curse?"

" _No."_

"So she just told his cat? That's fantastic."

In the hall, just shy of his door, Kuroo was drawing up every ounce of willpower he had not to start banging his head against the wall.


	149. Just Act Normal

Kuroo had to take several deep breaths before he felt normal enough to face the Higurashi siblings again.

' _Okay. She knows,'_  he thought. ' _It's not the end of the world. I've wanted to tell her for a while.'_  Kuroo nodded to himself, trying to reason through it. ' _Except…_ I  _wanted to tell her.'_  He wanted to beat his head on the wall again. ' _Okay, just act normal, get through this, and figure it out later.'_

One more deep breath and Kuroo was walking back into his room. "Let's get these worksheets finished and then we'll call it a night, yeah?"


	150. Wakey Wakey

Kuroo could see Kagome waiting for him by the gym like he'd asked her to. He'd imagined this scenario and how it would play out dozens of times. He just had to tell her. The words were practically engraved inside his head, he'd gone over them enough times.

But just as he took a step towards her, he froze in horror as his mother walked up to Kagome with a pleasant smile. ' _Why is she here?'_  He thought. And then she began to chat happily with Kagome, pointing over towards him as Kagome's eyes widened.

"No!" Kuroo yelled, waking up.


	151. Time for Answers

To say Kuroo rushed out of the house that morning was an understatement. He still hadn't completely worked through how he felt about Kagome finding out about his feelings, and his dreams hadn't helped. His mother was barely home before he was breezing out the door and heading next door to rouse Kenma out of bed earlier than usual (something his setter was none-too-happy about).

On the last leg of their walk to school, Kuroo spotted a familiar figure.

Jogging a little ahead of Kenma, Kuroo set his hand on Yaku's shoulder. "Just who I wanted to see," he grinned.


	152. With Friends Like These

Waiting on the sidewalk for Kenma to catch up to them at his own pace, Kuroo took the opportunity to say, "Last night I found out there are some rumors going around about me. Have you heard anything about that?"

Leveling Kuroo with a flat look, Yaku answered, "Okay, one: Which rumors? There's a few. Two: I'm pretty sure at least a couple are true. And three: You're just finding out about this? I thought you knew. It's high school. Nobody's being subtle about it."

"Well is everyone talking about it?" Kuroo asked, exasperated.

"Yes," Kenma answered, finally catching up.


	153. It's Not Like That

As Kuroo unlocked the clubroom, he asked, "What did you mean you think a couple of rumors are true? Rumors like what?"

"Like that you have a  _thing_  for Kagome," Yaku answered, dropping his bag on the floor. "More people than just us are starting to notice. You're about as subtle as everyone's gossip."

' _Great,'_  thought Kuroo, digging out his practice shirt. "What else do you think is true?"

"That you're using your tutoring sessions to woo her."

"I am not!"

Yaku looked at him like he was stupid. "Why not?"

"Because she's-" ' _-cursed, a cat, living with me-'_  "-sick."


	154. Truth and Wagers

Yaku considered Kuroo for a long moment as more volleyball players trickled into the room. Finally, he patted Kuroo on the back with a "You're a good guy."

"I'm aware, thanks," Kuroo sulked. How had he missed so much going on around him? True, aspects of his life had been a little distracting lately, but still…

When the team was present, Yaku announced, "Kuroo didn't know everyone's talking about him, so knock it off. Also, he's not using tutor-time to flirt."

In the back of the room, Fukunaga held out his hand as Yamamoto swore and dug out his wallet.


	155. Suddenly Obvious

As the day dragged on through practice and class, Kuroo noticed something.

Now that he was aware that people were talking about, it was glaringly obvious. It was like learning a new word and suddenly hearing it everywhere. The way people would glance his way in quiet conversations, stop talking altogether when he entered a room, how girls would blush and giggle when he made eye contact.

How had he not noticed any of it sooner?

Well, now that his teammates knew at least some of the truth, he'd have a little help in putting these rumors to rest. Hopefully.


	156. Time for a Chat

After class and before clubs, Kuroo knew he had a small window of time. He just had to find who he needed to talk to.

They weren't all in the same class, but he wasn't surprised to find Kagome's three best friends together in the hallway between doing the cleaning chores for their classes.

"Hey," he called out to grab their attention as he approached. "Can we talk for a minute?"

The three girls looked between each other before Eri cautiously asked, "About?"

With the most pleasant, non-frustrated smile he could manage, Kuroo said, "I think you know what about."


	157. Not the Right Type

With a deep breath, Kuroo spoke, "Right to the point: I'm  _not_  using our tutoring sessions to flirt with Kagome."

The trio looked skeptical at best.

"Well why not?" Yuka asked. "She likes you. It'd probably make her feel better."

Another deep breath. "Being in a relationship doesn't magically heal… what?"

"We don't  _know_  that," Ayumi said, nudging Yuka.

Yuka rolled her eyes. "She hasn't  _said_  it, but he's totally her type. He's got that bad boy vibe."

The girls continued to bicker as Kuroo's brain latched onto one fact. Kagome had a type. Bad boys. Something he was not.


	158. That Sinking Feeling

After assuring Kagome's friends (repeatedly) that he was not flirting or in any way taking advantage of their "sick" friend, Kuroo beat a hasty retreat. He wasn't quite sure if the churning feeling in his stomach was embarrassment or disappointment, but either way, it wasn't pleasant.

Kagome knew he liked her. It was something he'd tried not to think about all day, but now it was the only thing on his mind. Even if he had a "vibe" before, Kagome absolutely knew he wasn't a "bad boy" after living with him.

Kuroo felt any chance he might've had slipping away.


	159. Slip of the Tongue

Practice ran long and Kuroo was tired. He was vaguely aware that Kenma had followed him home, the setter having mentioned needing help with his homework on the train.

Kuroo waved at his mother and heard Kenma's usual soft greeting as well before they made their way back to Kuroo's room. Tossing his bag down next to his desk, Kuroo glanced around before saying, "I'm gonna get Kagome some fresh water. Want anything?"

There was a beat of silence before Kuroo realized what he'd said and looked over to see both Kenma and Kagome staring at him with wide eyes.


	160. A Sane Assumption

Kuroo's mind raced on what to tell Kenma - perceptive, observant Kenma - when he saw the shorter boy's face contort into a disapproving scrunch.

"You finally gave the cat an actual name," Kenma started, tone soft but still clearly exasperated. "And you name her  _Kagome_."

With no other explanation forthcoming, Kuroo latched onto Kenma's assumption. "Yes."

Kenma stared at him. "I worry about you sometimes." He paused. "And I want tea."

Kuroo sighed in relief. Of course Kenma would assume he'd named the cat after Kagome. After all, who'd immediately think a cat was really a cursed girl? No one sane.


	161. Fiction vs Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry there was no update last night. I was having something of a health issue. So double update tonight!

As Kuroo got their drinks and Kagome's water, he thought about how stressful keeping this secret was at time. Hiding the fact that Kagome was human. Hiding her things. Worrying about what his mom might do if she found Kagome's things or, even worse, a naked human Kagome.

It might be easier if he could share it with someone.

And Kenma was into fantasy, right? Maybe…

Kuroo shook the thought from his mind. Kenma might enjoy fantasy worlds, but that was  _fiction_. And Kuroo now knew from firsthand experience that fantasy in fiction and reality were two very different things.


	162. How to Human

Back in his room, Kuroo watched Kenma gently stroke and run his fingers through Kagome's fur. She was sprawled beside him on the bed, eyes closed, tail thumping against the bed, purring, enjoying the feeling.

A new thought suddenly struck Kuroo.

In the beginning, Kagome was  _bad_  at being a cat, like she hadn't known how to control the body quite right. But there'd been an adjustment period and now she seemed much more comfortable in her skin, more assured in her motions.

Depending on how long it took to break the curse, would she remember how to be human?


	163. Cure for Boredom

As Kuroo helped Kenma with his homework and preparation for an upcoming quiz, Kagome sat nearby, mostly quiet and simply watching them.

She wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to do. It felt strange to outright ignore the two boys in the room, but she wasn't sure how to interact with them either. What was considered too much for a cat? Where was the line that she probably shouldn't cross?

Bored and unable to think of anything better to do, Kagome fell back on what was becoming her new favorite activity. She knocked Kuroo's water bottle into the floor.


	164. A Little Attention

Kuroo stared down at where his water bottle rolled slightly on the floor before lifting a flat look to Kagome. "Really?" He asked, reaching for the bottle to return it to the table. "I'm a little busy right now. We'll do something later."

"Don't get mad at her," Kenma said, setting down his pencil and picking up Kagome to set her in his lap. "She just wants some attention. She probably doesn't know what she's doing."

"No, she definitely knows exactly what she's doing." Kuroo didn't think he'd ever seen a cat manage to look so thoroughly pleased with herself.


	165. An Olive Branch

Kenma stayed through dinner, but once Kuroo and Kagome were alone again, he turned to her and asked, "Do you really have to act so much like a  _cat_?"

Kagome pawed at the desk drawer where Kuroo stored her computer. Once opened, she typed, " _I'm not seen or treated as a person. It's hard. I get bored and lonely."_

Kuroo's stomach sank a little. Even if he knew she was human, it was hard not to see and treat her like a cat. Feeling guilty, he tried to extend an apology. "Would you want to watch a movie? Your pick."


	166. Movie Night

After spreading out a selection of DVD's, Kuroo was surprised when Kagome immediately picked out one of his favorites. He popped it into the player in the living room and let it boot up to the menu as he went to raid the cupboards and fridge.

His search yielded popcorn, which was thrown into the microwave, and some chicken which he shredded onto a small plate. ' _It's gotta beat cat food.'_

Once his popcorn was done, he grabbed their snacks, a soda, and a small bowl of water and got situated on the couch with Kagome for some quality time.


	167. Maybe. One Day.

Kuroo yawned as the credits rolled across the screen. Looking down beside him, he saw that Kagome had dozed off pressed against his leg. He smiled as he gently stroked down her back, easing away from her to clean up the mess from their snacks.

When he returned, he crouched down to wake Kagome up so they could go to bed, but he paused to watch her sleep. She'd been right. She usually seemed so relaxed, but this wasn't where she belonged.

But maybe when she was human again, they could have another movie night. Maybe even as a date.


	168. Counting the Days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I UPLOADED THIS CHAPTER TO THE WRONG STORY OMG  
> didn't even notice  
> that's why it's a bit late here. sorry.

Every day, Kuroo reminded himself to treat Kagome as human. That didn't stop him from doing things like petting her and giving her baths, which he knew she enjoyed, but he made more time to actually talk with her, even if it was slow and inconvenient through the toy computer.

He learned some new little things about her the more he paid attention, but he still wanted to have a real conversation. One with words where they could speak and maybe even laugh together.

And so, Kuroo meticulously crossed off the days on his calendar until the next full moon.


	169. Waiting Game

The day of the full moon, Kagome was noticeably antsy. Not that Kuroo could really blame her. He was a little on edge himself, if he was being honest. They knew that she was supposed to change back again when the sun set, but the still didn't know much about how it all worked. Kuroo felt a little guilty for how relieved he was when his mom finally left for work.

Once the sun was almost set, Kuroo left Kagome in his room, went into the hall, shut the door, and sat in the floor to wait for the moon.


	170. Idle Worries

As Kuroo sat and waited, he couldn't help thinking that maybe he should've brought a book with him. He wasn't sure how long it would take for Kagome to change. Were they even sure that she would? What if the last time had been a fluke? Or a one-time deal? If she didn't change tonight, what were they supposed to do?

Thinking he heard something, Kuroo turned his attention to the door, but it was still quiet. He pressed his ear to the door to see if there were any other sounds, but he couldn't quite tell.

"Kagome?" He called.


	171. A Welcome Sight

When the door suddenly opened, Kuroo had to throw out an arm to keep himself from falling to the floor. Looking down, he noticed that his hand had landed between two small human feet.

Kuroo looked up and saw Kagome hiding a smile behind her hand, trying not to laugh at his startled expression. "Why are you in the floor?" She asked, a few giggles bubbling up around her words.

"I was waiting."

Kagome crouched down so they were on the same level. "Well, I'm here now," she grinned.

"You are," Kuroo found himself smiling along with her, suddenly relieved.


	172. A Girl Distracted

Kagome had changed into a dress and light sweater, and even if it was only for the night, she looked like her old self.

"What should we do tonight?" Kuroo asked, feeling a little awkward as he watched Kagome walk around the house to stretch. He knew Kagome knew he liked her, but Kagome didn't seem to know he knew she knew. Just thinking about it was giving him a headache. Keeping things light would be best. "You still have some worksheets left," he pointed out. "Or maybe a movie."

When Kagome didn't seem to hear him, he asked, "Kagome?"


	173. An Epiphany

Kagome jumped when Kuroo called her name. "Hm?"

"You okay? I was talking to you but it didn't look like you heard me."

"Oh," Kagome smiled a little tensely and tried to wave off Kuroo's concern. "I'm just feeling a little restless, I guess. What's it called? Cabin fever? Except for that  _thrilling_  trip to the vet, I haven't been outside in almost two months. And being person-sized just makes things feel a little more confined. Not like I can leave, even if I wanted to, right? The only time I've been outside your house was…" Kagome paused. "With you."


	174. Won't Know Until You Try

Kuroo stared at her for a moment before asking, "What?"

"Listen," Kagome started, eyes suddenly bright. "Last time I was human and tried to leave on my own, I couldn't. Right?"

"Yeah," Kuroo nodded, following along.

"But you and Kenma were able to take me out of the house when I was a cat because I was with you guys."

"Okay," Kuroo agreed to the logic before adding, "but we have no idea if that'll actually work while you're a human."

Kagome stood in front of him, smiling and excited as she said, "There's only one way to find out."


	175. Trial and Error

Kagome was practically bouncing in place as she waited for Kuroo to come back from changing out of his sweats. "C'mon!"

"I know, I know," Kuroo said as he turned off the outside light so they wouldn't be seen and opened the door. He was actually a little worried. If this didn't work, he didn't want to think about how disappointed Kagome would be.

Stepping through the door first, he looked over his shoulder and saw Kagome stepping forward to follow him, only to be stopped by an invisible barrier.

Kuroo's heart clenched at the crushed look Kagome gave him.


	176. Try Try Again

Mind working quickly for a solution, Kuroo thought about when Kagome had left the house as a cat, of how she'd been carried out.

Kuroo stood outside the doorway and extended his hand into the house, motioning for Kagome to take it. She didn't have the same hopefulness as she took his hand, but she did wrap her small hand around his larger one.

With a gentle tug, Kuroo led Kagome past the threshold and outside into the night.

The smile that overtook her face was worth it when she let go of his to give a small victory cheer.


	177. Questionable Decisions

Kuroo watched Kagome carefully as she walked a few steps from him and took a deep breath. It seemed that once she was outside, she was capable of staying out on her own. Kuroo had mixed feelings on this.

Deciding to pull himself out of his thoughts, Kuroo reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a hair-tie and a hat. "Here," he said handing them to Kagome.

Kagome took them but looked confused as she asked, "What are these for?"

"Well," Kuroo hesitated, wondering if this would be a bad decision. "Neither of us have had dinner yet, right?"


	178. Comfort Food

Kagome stared at the hat and hair-tie in her hands before looking up at Kuroo again. "Are you sure?"

It was a legitimate question. There were plenty of bad scenarios to consider. But Kuroo wasn't sure he could sit at home all night knowing that one of Kagome's few chances to feel normal again was being wasted, especially when he was the one able to come and go as he pleased.

"Yeah," Kuroo nodded. Checking his wallet, he asked, "If you could have anything for dinner on a budget, what would you want?"

"Oden," Kagome sighed with a dreamy smile.


	179. Have To Know

With Kagome's hair pulled up and mostly hidden under a hat, she and Kuroo set off down the street together. As they walked, Kuroo decided conversation would be better than silence. "What's it like being a cat?"

Kagome laughed at the sudden question but answered, "I'm not sure. It's a little hard to describe. Everything's just kinda… bigger?"

"And the knocking stuff over thing?"

"It's just genuinely fun."

Finally, the question that had been burning in the back of Kuroo's mind couldn't be quieted anymore. "Okay, I have to know," he began, "how're you still so… calm about all this?"


	180. Locked Up Tight

Kagome sighed. They walked almost half a block in silence as Kuroo waited for whatever Kagome's answer would be. "Kuroo, I…" She paused, tugging at her hat before trying again. "That's… not a question with an easy answer. Or a short one."

Kuroo frowned at the non-answer that really just raised more questions. But before he could comment on it, Kagome spoke again.

"For tonight, could we not talk about that?"

"Sure," Kuroo conceded with a sigh. "Do you think you'll ever tell me though?"

"Maybe," was the only answer Kagome gave, her secrets still kept locked up tight inside.


	181. Totally Not A Date

"Look, look!" Kagome quietly squealed, giddiness radiating off her as she tugged on Kuroo's sleeve.

They were in a relatively quiet shopping district, mostly populated by a few restaurants, cafes, clothing shops, and book stores. It wasn't busy, for which Kuroo was grateful. One less thing to worry about. Again, Kagome tugged on his sleeve as she pointed a little ways down the street at a vendor selling exactly what they'd come in search of.

"C'mon!" Kagome smiled at him as she trotted ahead. It was cute, Kuroo thought as he firmly reminded himself that this was  _not_  a date.


	182. Love of Oden

Once they both had their food, Kuroo couldn't help but watch Kagome as she gently blew on a bite before savoring it. He watched her eyes close as she hummed in perfect contentment, melting at the taste.

Kuroo couldn't stop his chuckle at her reaction. "You really like oden that much?"

"It's my favorite!" Kagome chirped as she blew on another bite and popped it in her mouth.

Kuroo already knew that, had heard her mention it before at school. He actually knew more about her than he'd admit. But this, one-on-one, was definitely how he'd like to learn more.


	183. No Take Backs

As they ate, Kuroo noticed Kagome glancing around at the various shops on the street. "Have you ever been here before?"

"Mm… maybe once?" Kagome said as she polished off what was left of her dinner.

Kuroo wasn't all that surprised. Most of the people who shopped there were locals, and Higurashi Shrine was a few train stops away. "Would you…" Kuroo paused, hesitant, before continuing, "You want to walk around before we head back?"

"Really?" Kagome asked, eyes sparkling at the offer to stay out a little longer.

Well there was no way he could take it back now…


	184. Window Shopping

The duo walked up and down the street, Kagome looking at window displays in small shops. They eventually ducked into a small bookstore so that Kuroo could see if the latest book in a series he was following had released yet. After explaining the premise of the series to Kagome, he promised to let her borrow his books sometime after she showed interest.

Though he was keeping a careful eye on the time so it didn't get too late, Kuroo was actually starting to relax as he walked around with Kagome. That is until a voice called out to him.


	185. Caught

"Kuroo?"

He'd just stepped out of the bookstore when someone called out to him. Looking to his left, Kuroo saw Yaku wave a small greeting, a shopping bag from a convenience store down the street in his other hand.

Kuroo waved back, not quite trusting himself to talk as his mind rushed to figure out what to do.

"Kuroo," Kagome called to him as she came trotting out of the store behind him, stopping when she noticed Yaku.

"Kuroo." Yaku's voice was suddenly serious and just a tad dark.

Kuroo was starting to develop anxiety just from hearing his name.


	186. Lecture Time

Smile tight but tone lighter as he shifted his attention, Yaku said, "I haven't seen you in a while, Kagome. Are you feeling better?"

Kagome looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Sort of…?"

"Kuroo," Yaku rounded back on his captain, eyes telling Kuroo exactly how he felt about the situation. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Motioning to Kagome that he'd be right back, Kuroo took a few steps away before starting, "Look, it's really not what you-"

Cutting him off, Yaku whisper-yelled, "What are you thinking?!"

Kuroo sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I don't even know anymore."


	187. At His Defense

"Kuroo," Yaku sighed, shaking his head. "Kagome hasn't been to school in  _weeks_. She looks okay now, but obviously something's wrong. You have to know that you can't take her out shopping, no matter how much you might like her. What if she gets sicker?" As if the thought was just occurring to him, Yaku asked, "Does her family know where she is?"

Kuroo was trying to come up with an explanation, something,  _anything_  to say when Kagome was suddenly standing beside him.

"Wait, Yaku," Kagome stepped into the conversation, glancing up at Kuroo. "It's not his fault. It's mine."


	188. Little White Lie

"I haven't been outside in more than a month," Kagome started once she had Yaku's attention. "I was going a little stir-crazy and feeling a lot better today, so I snuck out on my own." She paused to look up at Kuroo as she said, "But I started feeling sick again and called Kuroo. He only came here to help me get home."

Yaku looked between them for a moment and Kagome prayed that Kuroo had a decent poker face.

Finally, "You need to take better care of yourself Kagome." Yaku sighed and Kagome struggled not to do the same.


	189. About-Face

Kagome nodded along with what Yaku was saying. "Tonight aside, I'm trying to get better. Hopefully I'll be able to come back to school soon."

"I hope so," Yaku told her. "Everyone in class misses you." It was at this point that Yaku looked at Kuroo with the least subtle expression ever, as if to add on ' _Especially this guy who still spends about as much time staring at your empty chair as he does the board.'_

"Well," Kuroo announced loudly. "I should be getting Kagome home. Bye Yaku!" He said as he quickly steered Kagome in the other direction.


	190. Worry and Calm

It was only when they were out of the shopping district and on their way back to Kuroo's house that Kuroo was able to relax. "Well," he sighed, "that went… not the way I'd hoped."

"I don't know" Kagome smiled, seemingly unfazed by their run-in with Yaku. "I had a pretty great time tonight."

"Really?" Kuroo asked, surprised. She wasn't scared of Yaku asking more questions or putting things together?

Kagome nodded. Touching his arm briefly, Kagome said, "Thanks, Kuroo, for taking me out tonight. I really needed this."

Influenced by Kagome's infectious calm, Kuroo could only nod. "No problem."


	191. A Promise

Once back at Kuroo's house, Kuroo unlocked the front door, stepped inside, and turned to see that Kagome was frozen on the doorstep. She was staring through the doorway, anxiety clear on her face.

Stepping back outside, Kuroo put a steadying hand on her shoulder and spoke quietly, "It's okay. You can go inside. We'll figure out a way to fix this so that you can leave again on your own."

"You sure?" Kagome asked, tone reflecting her moment of doubt.

Kuroo got Kagome to look at him before firmly saying, "I promise." When Kagome nodded, they stepped inside together.


	192. Making a Plan

"Think you might be up for finishing those worksheets?" Kuroo asked as he pulled off his jacket and watched Kagome pull off her hat and let down her long hair.

"Hm? Oh, sure." Kagome seemed distracted for a moment, still staring at the door, before shaking her head to clear her thoughts. "Can we have snacks while we work?" When Kuroo nodded, she grinned and asked, "And you can show me that book you were telling me about after?"

Kuroo tried to hide his excitement at sharing something he loved with Kagome but couldn't help smiling anyway. "It's a deal."


	193. Putting Pieces Together

Kagome stretched as Kuroo gathered up her makeup work to put in his school bag. "Never thought I'd be doing this again," Kagome mumbled as she grabbed a couple of chips from a bag Kuroo had brought for them to share.

"Doing what again?" Kuroo asked a little absently as he checked that he had everything he'd need for the next day.

"Constant makeup work," Kagome groaned, laying her forehead on Kuroo's desk. "I'd much rather learn in class."

A memory struck Kuroo. "That's right," he said turning to Kagome. "Something similar happened to you in middle school, didn't it?"


	194. A Little Game

"I wasn't spending my time as a cat, if that's what you mean," Kagome laughed as Kuroo gave her a measuring look.

"No," Kuroo shook his head. "Everyone just thinks you were really sick, kinda like what they think now. And you said you have experience with…  _weird_  things like this. It may not have been exactly what's happening now, but it was something similar wasn't it?" When Kagome only stared at him, he continued, "You're still not telling me?"

Kagome continued to stare, no answer either way.

"What if I guess?" Kuroo proposed.

Kagome grinned. "Good luck with that."


	195. Question and Answer

"Book?" Kagome questioned, hands held out and eyes bright with anticipation.

Kuroo smiled as he stood and walked to his bookshelves, pulling out the first volume of his favorite series. Turning back to face Kagome, he asked, "Were ghosts involved?" At Kagome's confused look, he specified, "In whatever happened to you before."

"Sometimes," Kagome answered as she made grabby hands for the book.

"Were you possessed or something?" Kuroo half-joked.

"A couple of times," Kagome said, book in hand and looking over the cover.

"Cursed?" Kuroo asked more seriously.

"Not usually," she mumbled before losing herself in the first page.


	196. Goodnight

There were more questions that Kuroo wanted to ask, but Kagome seemed invested in the book he'd given her and he really didn't want to interrupt.

Before climbing into bed, he handed Kagome a small book-light. "So you can stay up and read a little longer," he explained.

"Are you sure?" Kagome asked, turning it on to test the brightness.

Kuroo nodded. "It won't bother me."

"Thanks," Kagome smiled up at him from where she was stretched out on the futon.

After the lights were out and everything was dark (save for the book-light), Kuroo said, "Goodnight, Kagome."

"Goodnight, Kuroo."


	197. New Morning, New Ideas

When Kagome woke up in the morning, Kuroo was already gone and her futon was put neatly away. She vaguely remembered being moved to Kuroo's bed so that Kuroo could tidy up, but she was surprised by how late she'd slept.

' _I shouldn't be with how late I stayed up reading,'_  Kagome thought as she stretched out her back. A quick drink of water and she was starting to feel a little more awake.

Glancing around the room, Kagome spotted the book she'd been reading sitting on Kuroo's desk, and her tail twitched as an idea popped in her head.


	198. Facing the Music

Kuroo knew it was coming. He'd caught Yaku giving him looks for most of the morning. Even Kai had asked if Kuroo had done something to irritate their friend. So Kuroo wasn't surprised at all when he got back from buying his lunch to find Yaku and Kai sitting around his desk with their own lunches. Only now they were both giving him stern looks.

' _Great,'_  he thought, closing his eyes with a deep sigh. ' _Might as well get it over with.'_

Sitting down, Kuroo looked at his two friends and nodded. "Okay. Go ahead and get it all out."


	199. Working For It

A small, irritated rumble came from Kagome's chest as she stared down at the book she'd just knocked off Kuroo's desk. For once, she hadn't  _meant_  to do that.

Jumping down, Kagome continued to paw at the book, careful not to involve her claws, until she was able to nudge the soft paperback cover open.

It was an awkward process of carefully pawing at page after page until she found where she'd left off, even moreso to have to practically stand on the pages to keep the book open, but Kagome finally had an entertaining way to pass her days.


	200. Becoming Proficient

"Kuroo," Kai said in a tone that gave Kuroo flashbacks. He was pretty sure he might develop an ulcer if he kept hearing his name said like that.

"So I got to thinking," Yaku started. "If Kagome just wanted to get out of the house, why would she come all the way to your neighborhood?"

"She…" Kuroo's mind blanked for a second, but he was surprised by how quickly he came up with a plausible answer. "Didn't want to be spotted by someone in her neighborhood? You'd have to ask her." He still wasn't fond of the whole lying thing.


	201. Quirky Pet

Having more-or-less worked out a system for carefully turning pages, Kagome alternated between standing on the book or laying on it, depending on where she was in her page and how comfortable she wanted to be. It was slow going, but she still considered it an improvement over her usual quiet afternoons.

In the afternoon, Kagome heard movement in the hallway and turned to see Kuroo's mother watching her as she stood on the book reading. They stared at each other for a moment before the woman shook her head, walking towards the kitchen.

' _Another "weird cat" moment, I guess.'_


	202. If Not Now, When?

"It sounds like you two are getting closer," Kai said, trying to find a middle ground between Yaku's lecturing and Kuroo's denial.

"We are," Kuroo agreed. "We knew each other before, but now we're… friends."

"So you still haven't told her you like her?"

"No," Kuroo sighed. ' _Not that she doesn't know.'_

"Why not?" Yaku groaned. He'd watched Kuroo's pining for years and was reaching his wit's end.

"It's just… a bad time."

"If now, when you're getting closer, isn't the right time, when will be?" Kai asked.

"I have no idea," Kuroo muttered, resting his head on his desk.


	203. Poor Planning

Even as tedious as the process could be, Kagome managed to get lost in her reading for several hours. She only realized how long it had been when she noticed how stiff and thirsty she was. But she was posed with a dilemma. If she left the book, it would flip shut. She hadn't thought of needing a bookmark and didn't have fingers to dog-ear the corner of the page.

Doing the only thing she could think, she tried pushing the book towards her bowls while keeping a paw on her page. The things she'd apparently do for this protagonist.


	204. Nosy Children

"So when do you think you'll tell her?" Yaku asked as they changed clothes after practice.

"You're still not done with this?" Kuroo countered, sounding just as exasperated as he felt.

Yaku's look would've been answer enough, but he wasn't about to leave it at that. "You've dragged this out for years. It's just getting ridiculous now."

Kuroo was about to answer when he noticed the rest of the team had suddenly gone quiet. Glancing around the room, his jaw dropped, betrayed. The nosy eavesdroppers! "I'll tell her!"

"Before you both graduate?" Someone muttered.

Kuroo's head thumped against his locker.


	205. Lost Faith

Kagome was almost to her bowls with her page still marked when a sudden noise from the kitchen - possibly a dropped pan - nearly had her jumping out of her skin. Though her skin and fur remained where it was supposed to be, her foot did jerk back from the page it was settled on.

Almost in slow motion, Kagome watched in horror as the paperback flipped completely shut and her page was lost.

Her faith in the universe temporarily lost, trapped in between the pages she'd spent hours carefully flipping, Kagome flopped down on her side, wishing she could scream.


	206. Long Day for Everyone

Kuroo felt particularly heavy as he stepped through the front door and kicked off his shoes. It had been a much longer day than he'd anticipated. Class and practice and interrogations and lectures. Kuroo was tired.

"How was your day?" His mother asked as she checked her purse for her keys.

"Long," Kuroo sighed.

As he trudged down to his room, he heard his mother call after him "Your cat is weird." He barely had time to wonder what she meant before he pushed his door open and saw Kagome lying in the floor using his book for a pillow.


	207. Talking Without Words

Kuroo stared at Kagome for several seconds before laughing to himself and stepping around her to drop his bag by his desk. Looking at her again, more chuckles bubbled up as he asked, "What're you doing?"

Kagome's tail thumped against the floor, but otherwise she didn't move.

Crouching in front of her, Kuroo asked, "Trying to read the book through osmosis?"

Another tail thump.

"The book's off the desk. Were you really trying to read it?" Blue eyes flicked up to look at him and Kuroo reached out to give Kagome's head a pat. "Yeah, I feel about the same."


	208. Striking a Deal

"I've got more worksheets for you," Kuroo said absently as he continued to pet Kagome. He grinned when she closed her eyes again to ignore him. "Don't be like that," he chuckled.

No reaction.

"We'll have to go over them eventually."

Still no reaction.

Kuroo sighed as he thought of a way to get her to engage with him again. Looking at the book she was still lying on, an idea struck. "You know," he started, "if we review some of the material, I could read some of the book to you later."

Bright blue eyes were on him instantly.


	209. That Twitchy Tail

Kuroo reached over to delete Kagome's last answer to him from her little computer since his fingers could do it faster than her paws. "Okay," he said, sitting back in his chair and twirling his pencil between his fingers. "You seem to be getting most of the practice questions right. Do you think you're getting the gist of it?"

" _Yes,"_  Kagome typed.

Watching the way her tail twitched anxiously, Kuroo quirked brow at her. "I'm guessing you want to read now?"

Kagome was on his bed before Kuroo could put down his pencil, tip of her tail twitching with impatience.


	210. Settling In

Kuroo settled on the bed, propped up with some pillows, and held up the book Kagome had been reading. "Just let me know how far you made it," he said as he started to slowly flip through pages. The further he got into the book, the more impressed he was that Kagome wasn't stopping him. Pausing in his flipping, he looked at her. "Really?"

Kagome stared at him impatiently and he resumed flipping through the pages until her paw touched a page.

"This paragraph okay?"

When Kagome dipped her head in a nod, Kuroo took a breath and began reading.


	211. Delighted

As Kuroo read the few paragraphs that led up to where Kagome had been so rudely cut off, Kagome curled up pressed against Kuroo's hip and got comfortable.

Listening to his voice was soothing. Kuroo's pacing was even, his tone soft, smooth, and deep as he painted a world for her with the words written on the page. Kagome had to admit that this was much better than having to multitask between reading and wrangling pages.

But it was when Kuroo got to the first lines of dialogue that Kagome purred in delight. He did character voices when he read.


	212. Bashful

"Okay, that's all for tonight," Kuroo said as he marked the page and closed the book. "We can read another chapter tomorrow if you want."

Stretching out from where she'd been comfortably listening to Kuroo, Kagome jumped across his lap and up onto his desk to type out " _Thank you."_

"Sure," Kuroo smiled, happy he and Kagome would have something in common to talk about when she was human again.

" _I like the way you read."_

"Ah, thanks." Turning to put the book away, Kuroo cleared his throat and tried to hide the heat he could feel in his cheeks.


	213. Not Quite Right

Kagome was human again. Everything was bright and warm and he was lying down beside her while she sat and read to him. Kuroo wasn't completely sure what she was reading because her voice wasn't quite reaching him, but she had a book in hand and her mouth was moving and he was happy.

It was nice, but something about it felt off. Something felt empty, like he was missing something that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Kagome said something to him, but…

As his alarm blared, Kuroo wondered why he could never hear Kagome in his dreams.


	214. Bonding and Honesty

"What's this?" Souta asked, picking up a book from the corner of Kuroo's desk. They'd been filling out Kagome's latest packet of missed work and decided to take a break.

"A book we've been reading. Well, that I've been reading to Kagome. About a chapter a night."

Souta read the back before saying, "I think I've heard some of my friends talk about this."

"Yeah? If you're interested, you can borrow it when we're through."

"Really?" When Kuroo nodded, Souta grinned. "Cool." With a glance at Kagome he added, "Hey, Kuroo? I'm really glad Kagome ended up here with you."


	215. Like a Brother

Souta cut Kuroo off before he had a chance to respond. "What I mean is… yeah, you seemed kinda freaked out at first, but you bounced back and have been doing a lot to try and help Kagome. That means a lot to us." Pausing for a moment, Souta grinned before saying, "And you don't treat me like a little kid when I visit. You kinda talk to me the same way Kagome does. And that means a lot to me."

Kuroo smiled at Souta's words and wondered if this was what it felt like to have a little brother.


	216. Weakness

Noticing that Souta was stalling, fiddling with things more than necessary, as he packed up his stuff for the trip home, Kuroo asked, "Something on your mind?"

Souta looked up at him for a moment, considering, before finally asking, "Next time Kagome's human, do you think you guys could… come visit the shrine? We all really miss her."

Kuroo almost cringed as he thought about their last excursion and the headache it had turned into. But seeing the same hopeful look reflected in both Kagome and Souta's eyes, he felt himself cave immediately. "Sure."

This family was becoming his weakness.


	217. Early Signs

Kagome listened to Kuroo read that night's chapter from her spot curled up by his hip, but something wasn't right.

Instead of his usual even pace, Kuroo kept pausing to clear his throat or occasionally give a small cough. If it were once or twice, Kagome could have dismissed it, but it was every few minutes and becoming more frequent the longer he read. Sitting up, she pawed at him until he looked at her and she tipped her head in question.

"My throat's a little sore," Kuroo explained before giving Kagome's head a reassuring pet. "It's nothing. I promise."


	218. Too Warm

Kagome could feel her ears twitching as something woke her up, but it took her a moment to realize what it was. Kuroo's alarm was still going off.

Kagome sat up, concerned. Kuroo always woke up to his alarm. This definitely wasn't normal. Moving to stand on a pillow that had fallen away from his head during sleep, Kagome nudged him with her paw. Even as Kuroo responded by waking with a groan as he reached out to silence his alarm, Kagome felt her concern grow.

' _He's too warm,'_  she thought as she watched Kuroo force himself out of bed.


	219. Carrying On

To say Kuroo felt rough would be an understatement. Sore throat, cough, what he suspected was a fever, and he already felt run down despite just getting out of bed. But still, he had responsibilities to his team and as a student and couldn't just take the day off.

So, downing some cold medicine and donning a face mask, Kuroo got ready for school as he always did, albeit a little sluggish.

He came across his mother in the kitchen and braced himself as soon as she turned to look at him, her face dropping as she muttered, "Oh dear."


	220. Trust and Worry

Kuroo couldn't help grinning when his mom's hand predictably pressed against his forehead. No matter how much bigger than her he'd grown, she was still his mother.

"You have a fever," she said matter-of-factly. Stepping back to get a better look at him, she continued, "There's a nasty virus going around. How do you feel?"

"Fine," Kuroo answered, sounding anything but. "It's probably just a cold." When he got a doubtful look in return, he assured, "If I start feeling worse, I'll come home early."

His mother sighed. "I trust you to take care of yourself, but I still worry."


	221. Looking Out

With a little arguing and half-sincere reassurances that he'd be fine, Kuroo finally managed to get out of the house, though not without a bottle of juice and more medicine to take with lunch.

Kenma was already waiting for him outside and looked genuinely surprised when he saw Kuroo. "Here," Kuroo said handing Kenma a face mask as they fell into step in their usual walk. "Mom said something's going around. Don't need you getting sick."

"Thanks," Kenma took the mask, slipping it on. "Looks like it's too late for you though. You okay?"

"Mm," Kuroo answered, noncommittal at best.


	222. Slyly Sweet

Kuroo was already changing for morning practice as more of his teammates started filing into the clubroom.

"Wow," Yamamoto drawled when he saw his captain, but with one look from Kuroo, he smartly kept his mouth shut from further comment on Kuroo's appearance.

In the gym, Kuroo heard their coach call him over during their stretches. "Sit with me today, Kuroo," Nekomata said with his usual grin. "Watch the rest of the team and tell me what you think they most need to work on."

Kuroo knew what he was doing but was honestly just glad for the offered out.


	223. Calling It

By lunch, Kuroo was close to calling it a day. He knew he felt bad when he woke up, but he honestly thought that would've been the extent of it. He'd been wrong. His head was now pounding as his stomach rolled. It took everything he had not to fall asleep on his desk. Though the cool surface felt wonderful against his fevered forehead.

"Eat this," Kai said, placing bread, water, and juice on Kuroo's desk. "And don't worry about practice later. We'll cover it."

Looking up, Kuroo saw Yaku nodding along and was glad for reliable friends and teammates.


	224. Mother's Orders

After letting his team and coaches know that he was heading home early (something they all encouraged), Kuroo made his way to the train station.

His mother was checking him over almost as soon as he stepped through the front door. "This is  _not_  just a cold," she told him with her best Mom Look.

"Well I know that  _now_ ," Kuroo replied, voice rough but tone light.

"Get a bath. Go to bed. I'll make you something to eat."

"I'm not really hungry," Kuroo said already making his way down the hall.

"Well then it'll be ready whenever you are."


	225. Paws Tied

Kagome was alert as soon as she heard Kuroo's voice. He was home much earlier than usual.

When Kuroo entered his room to deposit his bag and get some clean clothes before his bath, Kagome was startled at how run down he looked. Even knowing he'd been sick when he left that morning, she hadn't expected him to get  _that_  sick.

Meowing at him until she had his attention, the only response she got was a tired smile. Kagome's concern skyrocketed and warred with the knowledge that there was little she could actually do to help him as a cat.


	226. Watchful

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> double update because my internet was down last night which is why there was no chapter yesterday

Kagome waited anxiously for Kuroo to come back from his bath. Realistically, she knew he'd be fine. It wasn't the plague or anything. It was just that Kagome had never seen Kuroo like this.

When Kuroo was clean and comfortable in bed, even forgoing his usual sleeping position to sleep like a normal human being, Kagome was on the bed with him in an instant. She felt helpless in the situation, but she'd care for him the best she could. Padding to the head of the bed, Kagome curled up on Kuroo's pillow to keep a watch on his fever.


	227. Ill-Timed Obligations

Kagome lifted her head several hours later to see Kuroo's mother standing in the doorway to his room, watching him. She'd checked on Kuroo several times, trying to get him to eat and drink a little, but he seemed to be doing a little better with some proper rest.

Sitting on the edge of Kuroo's bed, she checked his fever again and sighed. "Tetsurou?" She asked, voice gentle. When he woke up with a tired hum, she asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Kuroo mumbled, though he didn't really sound it.

Pausing a moment, his mother said, "Something's come up."


	228. Not Alone

"I called the hospital earlier to tell them I was staying home with you tonight," Kuroo's mother explained in a soft tone. "But they just called back. Some other nurses got sick, they're short-staffed, and they're overrun tonight."

Kuroo cleared his throat as he pushed himself to sit up and clear his head a little. "Go," he said, voice hoarse. "I'll be fine, probably just sleep. If anything happens, Kenma is right next door."

"Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?"

"I'm not alone," Kuroo grinned, albeit weakly, and petted Kagome. "I've got Kagome to watch over me."


	229. Not So Fine

When Kuroo's mother was gone for the evening, Kagome saw an almost instant change in Kuroo. He fell back in bed with a deep groan and pained frown. He finally looked as miserable as he probably felt, something he'd been holding back.

Kagome pawed gently at his arm before nudging him with her forehead. Kuroo, getting the gist, gave her head a stroke as he said, "I'll be fine." He took several slow deep breaths before saying, "My stomach is just-"

Dropping off mid-sentence, Kuroo was still for a few seconds before bolting off the bed and towards the bathroom.


	230. Cause for Concern

Kagome was hot on Kuroo's heels to make sure he was okay but stopped in the bathroom doorway and cringed as soon as she heard the first retch.

Unable to do much to help him through it, Kagome sat by his side and waited for him to get it out of his system. When his stomach finally seemed to be empty, Kuroo wiped his mouth and sighed. He closed his eyes and sat back, slouched against the wall.

He was much paler than usual, Kagome thought. Headbutting his hand, she meowed for his attention, but Kuroo didn't acknowledge her.

' _Kuroo?'_


	231. Plea for Help

Kagome headbutted Kuroo's hand again and again until she caught his attention. But he only blinked a few times before screwing his eyes shut again and saying, "I'm okay, just… dizzy. I need a minute."

Kagome could feel the fur down her back raise in irritation. How could he still insist that he was okay? He needed help. Unfortunately, they were on their own.

Closing her eyes, Kagome prayed for a miracle. ' _Hey,'_  she thought. ' _I know you're inside me somewhere. We're supposed to help each other with something, right? Well he needs my help now. A human's help. Please!'_


	232. Answered Prayer

Kagome paced the width of the bathroom.

' _He's sick,'_  Kagome again tried appealing to the demon spirit that had both possessed and cursed her. She had no idea if it would be interested or care or if it could even hear her, but it was the only chance she had at getting Kuroo the help he needed. ' _I can't help him or even call for help like this. Please, even just a few minutes would be fine. Let me help him as me.'_

The bathroom was quiet, and Kagome thought her request had fallen on deaf ears. Then, a flash.


	233. Fever Dream

When Kagome felt her bare knees hit the cool bathroom tile, she was a little grateful that Kuroo was still so out of it.

She was immediately on her feet and running back to Kuroo's room to quickly dress before returning to his side. Even if he was still sick, being able to check him over herself was an immense relief. It was when she was checking his fever that he finally blinked his eyes open.

"Oh wow," Kuroo almost laughed to himself. "My fever's worse than I thought."

"It's not your fever," Kagome assured him with a soft smile.


	234. Size Difference

"Okay, Kuroo, you have to help me," Kagome said, trying to get an arm around the taller boy. "We need to get you back to bed."

Kuroo draped an arm around Kagome's shoulders and used her for balance as he got back to his feet. He only managed one step before another wave of dizziness hit him. When he felt Kagome start to buckle under his unbalanced weight, Kuroo quickly fell back against the wall, sliding back to the floor.

It could seriously hurt both of them if Kuroo fell on Kagome. ' _I'd rather sleep in the floor,'_  he thought.


	235. Getting Help

Kagome bit her lip. She couldn't leave Kuroo in the bathroom floor, but she wasn't sure she could get him back to bed herself. Her options for help were pretty limited though. She could call Souta, but it would take a while for him to get to Kuroo's house and he was still only about the same size she was. There was one other name that came to mind. It certainly wasn't her first choice, but desperate times…

Rushing back to Kuroo's room, she found his phone and opened his text conversation with Kenma.

_Sick. Need help. Come over asap._


	236. Unexpected Greeting

"Kuroo?" Kenma called as he kicked off his shoes and shut the door behind him. But the person who stepped into the hall to greet him definitely wasn't who he was expecting. "You're not Kuroo."

"Look, I'll explain things later, but right now I really need your help," Kagome said as she marched forward, grabbed Kenma by his sleeve, and tugged him down the hall towards the bathroom.

Kenma followed, shocked silent, until they got to the bathroom and he saw Kuroo in the floor.

"Kenma," Kagome said, snapping his attention back to her. "Can you help me?"

"I'll try."


	237. Bad Jokes

When Kuroo looked up at the additional voice and saw Kenma, panic flashed across his face and his eyes sought Kagome's.

"It's okay," Kagome said stepping around Kenma. "I asked him to come over. Kinda. I used your phone."

"What happened?" Kenma asked, moving to grab one of Kuroo's arms.

"I fell and I can't get up," Kuroo joked weakly.

Kenma shot Kuroo a look, probably debating on dropping him again, before simply sighing and tightening his grip.

Kagome huffed a laugh, finally feeling a little bit of relief. "If you're well enough to make bad jokes, you'll be fine."


	238. Not Quite

The short trip across the hall and to the bed had a few stumbles, but between the two of them, Kagome and Kenma were able to get Kuroo tucked in again.

"Thanks for your help," Kagome said to Kenma as she sat on the edge of the bed and placed another cool cloth on Kuroo's forehead.

Kenma watched Kagome for a long moment before simply saying, "You're not sick."

"I'm not."

Looking over at a bag full of girl's things, he said, "You're not just visiting."

"I'm not."

As if testing a theory, "The cat's gone."

A pause. "Not quite."


	239. Unbelievable Truth

The barest hint of a smile quirked at the corners of Kenma's mouth before it immediately pulled down into a frown. "This isn't a time to joke. Kuroo's sick, you're  _supposed_  to be sick, but it looks like you've been staying here instead."

Kagome didn't have the energy to try to come up with a plausible lie, so she went for a convincing truth. "I never scratched you," she said. "Even when I hissed and scratched at him, I never even tried to scratch at you."

From the bed, arm draped across his eyes, Kuroo confirmed, "Kenma, Kagome  _is_  Kagome."


	240. Hope and Logic

"That can't-" Kenma snapped his mouth shut and looked down at his feet as he thought things over. He wanted it to be real. After all the hours upon hours he'd put into living fantastical lives through his games, some part of him absolutely wanted magic to be real. But this was the real world and logic told him there was no way.

But here was Kagome in Kuroo's house. And here was Kuroo telling him it was real. And here was a steadily building pile of puzzle pieces finally making a complete picture.

Looking back up, he asked, "Really?"


	241. It's Complicated

Kagome nodded as she stood up from the bed. "Really," she confirmed, but before Kenma could ask about how, she continued. "Could you show me where some stuff in the kitchen is? Kuroo threw up earlier and I think he should probably eat or drink at least a little bit of something."

Kenma wasn't deterred though. "How were you a cat?" He asked, handing Kagome a small bowl he pulled from a cabinet. He watched her carefully as she filled it with some of the rice porridge made by his mother earlier.

Kagome sighed. "Because curses are real. And annoying."


	242. Vague Explanations

Kenma was still trying to wrap his mind around everything, surreal as it all was. "A curse?"

Kagome set a bottle of water with Kuroo's simple dinner before turning to face Kenma. "Yeah. There was this sealed box at my family's shrine. I opened it. A spirit that was trapped inside possessed me and cursed me to be a cat every night except for full moons."

"But… tonight isn't a full moon," Kenma pointed out.

"I know."

"Does that mean… the curse was broken?"

Kagome leaned against the counter and put her face in her hands. "I have no idea."


	243. Back On Track

Kagome heaved a deep sigh before rubbing at her face and dropping her hands with renewed determination. Kenma had his questions and, honestly, so did she. But she didn't have all their answers. What she did have was a sick friend and for the moment, that was priority number one.

"Thanks for coming over and helping. You're handling this a lot better than Kuroo did," Kagome laughed.

"I think it still hasn't completely caught up to me yet."

Kagome smiled. "You'll get there. But you have school tomorrow. Go get some rest. I can take care of Kuroo for tonight."


	244. Very Observant

Once Kenma had been shooed home for the evening (with the promise that he'd have more answers once Kuroo was feeling better), Kagome took Kuroo's light dinner back to his room.

He was awake and watching her as she walked over to sit on the edge of his bed. Kagome tried not to smile at how adorably pitiful someone Kuroo's size managed to look. "I brought you something to eat."

"I'm sick," he admitted, voice a little strained. "It's definitely not just a cold."

Kagome huffed a small laugh. "I noticed."

"You're not a cat anymore."

"I noticed that too."


	245. Something Different

"Why are you human?" Kuroo asked, brow creased in a frown. "I thought it was supposed to be Prince Charming's kiss that broke curses, not him throwing his guts up."

"Prince Charming?" Kagome smiled. "You're giving yourself a lot of credit, aren't you?"

"You have to admit, this is all very fairytale-esque."

Kagome thought of her life just three years before and said, "Not that much actually."

"Read our book to me while I eat? We can change things up tonight."

Forgoing the book, Kagome said, "Maybe…" She hesitated before starting again, "Maybe I can tell you a different story."


	246. Story Time

Kagome moved to Kuroo’s desk chair as he sat up so that he could eat. “What kind of story?” Kuroo asked, opening his water for a sip.   
  
“Well,” Kagome thought of how to put it. “It’s an old story, and it happened on and near the grounds of my family’s shrine. It also takes place more than five hundred years ago - somewhere in the neighborhood of five hundred and fifty-three years ago, actually.”   
  
“That’s weirdly specific.”   
  
Continuing with a small smile, Kagome said, “It starts with a priestess called Kikyo, a half-demon named Inuyasha, and how they fell in love.”


	247. But Wait...

Kuroo’s bowl sat empty as he listened to Kagome.   
  
“So, betrayed and dying, Kikyo entrusted the jewel to her younger sister, telling her to burn it with her body so that nobody could get their hands on it again. Inuyasha remained pinned to the tree, asleep under Kikyo’s spell, and the jewel disappeared from the world along with Kikyo.”   
  
With the lull in Kagome’s story, Kuroo spoke for the first time since she’d started. “That is a  _ terrible _ story. The ending is so sad!”   
  
Kagome laughed at his reaction and said, “It might be if that was where it ended.”


	248. ...There's More

With a heavy feeling settling in the pit of her stomach, Kagome began again. “Five hundred and fifty years after Inuyasha and Kikyo, there was a girl in her third year of middle school who lived on a shrine.”   
  
Kagome looked at her feet when she saw Kuroo’s eyes widen. “On her fifteenth birthday, she went into an old wellhouse to look for her cat, but the magic living in the old well came alive. So did the bones of a long-dead demon, and the girl was pulled five hundred years into the past.”   
  
“Kagome,” Kuroo breathed.   
  
Kagome nodded. “Yeah.”


	249. Getting There

Kagome gave Kuroo time to process what she was trying to tell him, but eventually he broke the silence. "That… that's not…"

"Possible?" Kagome asked, forcing a smile despite the uncomfortable feeling growing in her chest. "Kinda like a girl cursed to be a cat except on nights of a full moon?"

Kuroo opened his mouth to speak, but Kagome could see the words die on his lips. He was quiet for several long moments, and Kagome watched his thoughts and emotions play across his face. Disbelief, doubt, reasoning, and finally, maybe, the beginnings of acceptance.

"So… what happened next?"


	250. Trust and Faith

"Kuroo," Kagome said, voice serious. "Before I tell you anything else, I just… I've never  _really_  told anyone about this before. And if I tell you, I need you to believe me, that everything in this story is completely true."

Kuroo watched Kagome who waited for his answer. There was vulnerability and caution and hope swirling in her eyes, written into every line of her face and posture. And in that moment, Kuroo knew that, after everything they'd been through together, Kagome could tell him she made the sun rise every morning and he'd believe her in a heartbeat.

"Okay."


	251. The Short Version

"Well," Kagome began, thinking on the best way to tell the story. "The short version is that I was pulled five hundred years into the past, woke Inuyasha up from Kikyou's seal, and we traveled Japan with friends to gather pieces of a magical artifact I accidentally broke. There was also a lot of demons and battles and jumping back and forth through time so I could at least  _try_  to go to school."

Kuroo stared at her for a moment. "So then what's the long version?"

Kagome sighed as she thought of her travels. "The long version is…  _long_."


	252. Highlights

"How long is  _long_?" Kuroo chuckled, enjoying the direction their talk was going. It was so far from anything he'd expected, but he  _needed_  to hear more, to learn more, to know more about Kagome. And if she trusted him with something nobody else knew? Well, that just made it seem that much more special.

"It was the better part of a year," Kagome said. "A lot happened. It's more than I can tell in one night."

"Then give me the highlights," Kuroo grinned as he scooted over so Kagome could sit next to him. "Or just your favorite parts."


	253. Pleasant Memories

"So we were in the middle of this battlefield - a  _fresh_  one, I have no idea why we  _had_  to stop for lunch there, it was disgusting - and suddenly everything got really dark even though it was the middle of the afternoon. Then poof! This big pink  _thing_  appears, demanding our jewel shards!"

"What was it?" Kuroo asked. "Was there some intense battle after that?" After crow demons and a hair demon, Kuroo had developed expectations.

"Not quite," Kagome laughed before a fond look took over her face. "It was just a very young fox demon. His name was Shippou."


	254. A Big Job

"And then he kidnapped me!" Kagome complained. "On my own bike, which he also stole!"

Kuroo laughed, "And this guy became one of your friends?"

Kagome nodded, smile bright. "Miroku was… interesting. He definitely had his flaws, but he probably had at least two virtues for each of his vices."

As Kagome reminisced, Kuroo asked, "Just how often did you get kidnapped?"

Kagome's trip down memory lane was cut short with a groan. "Too often."

"If you're this prone to trouble, I guess I'll have to keep an eye on you in this time."

Kagome smiled. "Good luck with that."


	255. Little Talks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> edit from original posting: I forgot to include the first line. oops

After Kagome got Kuroo to take some medicine that would help him sleep, she continued with her stories.

"She was  _so strong_ ," Kagome gushed. "Not just physically - even though she was, Sango was amazing in battle - but mentally and emotionally. She'd been through so much but always managed to keep going."

"Sounds kinda like she was your hero," Kuroo grinned, starting to feel drowsy.

"Maybe she was a little," Kagome admitted. "But she was more like a big sister. I really miss being able to talk to her sometimes."

"You can always talk to me, if you want."

"Thank you."


	256. Not Fair

"So then Kouga kidnaps me and takes off running. Honestly, it was terrifying." Kagome rolled her eyes at the memory. "But even after a rough start with the kidnapping and talk of eating me, he somehow ended up proposing by the end of everything. Kinda. More like just said I was his. It was a mess."

Kuroo groaned from where he lay, half-asleep from his medicine, Kagome running her fingers through his hair to soothe him. "You okay?"

"Not fair," Kuroo mumbled.

"What's not fair?"

"Other guys saying they like you."

"It's not fair?"

" _I_  still haven't told you yet."


	257. Sentimental Mumbling

Kagome sat silent as she thought about how to respond. Between the medicine Kuroo had taken, his half-asleep state, and the fever he was still fighting, she wasn't sure if he was completely aware of what he was saying. Eventually, "You could tell me now."

Kuroo shook his head, eyes shut. "It's not the right time."

"When is the right time?"

"Dunno. One day. Has to be just right though."

Smiling and a little won over by the sentiment behind Kuroo's sick and half-conscious mumbling, Kagome ran her fingers through his hair and promised, "Okay. I'll wait until you're ready."


	258. The Morning

The dawning sun woke Kagome, though she wasn't even sure when she'd fallen asleep. The last thing she remembered was changing the cloth on Kuroo's forehead after he'd dozed off.

Opening her eyes, she saw Kuroo staring at her as they lay side-by-side in bed.

"You're still human," he said, voice rough.

Kagome held up a hand for inspection. "I am," she breathed, almost giddy with the realization. Pressing her human hand to Kuroo's forehead, she said, "Still feverish."

Kuroo moved to respond but stopped when they heard the front door open and a flash of light filled his room.


	259. Good Company

Moments after the light faded, Kuroo heard footsteps coming closer. Quickly hiding Kagome's clothes under his blankets, Kuroo brought his attention to the door as it opened. She looked tired after her night shift, but his mother's first priority was to check on him.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, sitting beside Kuroo and checking his fever.

"Not great, but okay."

Looking to the cat who had her face buried against Kuroo's arm, his mother asked, "Did she keep you company?"

Kuroo felt his heart break a little at what Kagome must have been feeling. "She never left my side."


	260. Deviation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry about the missed update. I got super sick from a perfect storm of bad shit and was in a bad way. double update tonight

"I'm glad you seem to be doing okay this morning," Kuroo's mother said as she stood up. "This virus can get rough from what I've seen but seems to pass relatively quickly. Get some rest and I'll check on you a couple of hours, okay?"

Kuroo nodded and watched his mom leave before he turned over to face Kagome.

"I'm so sorry." It was the first thing out of his mouth and the only thing he could think to say. The curse had deviated so much there was no way they wouldn't get their hopes up. "We'll figure this out."


	261. Bending the Rules

Kuroo thought about the night before and said, "I still don't understand why you were human last night. It wasn't a full moon, was it?"

Kagome felt like her body was heavy, drained of the will to move after having her hopes dashed. Still, she stood and jumped to Kuroo's desk and typed on her computer, " _I begged."_

Tilting the screen so he could read it, Kuroo asked before giving the answer much thought, "Why?" As Kagome quietly stared at him, the answer finally dawned. "You wanted to help me so much that it bent the curse's rules for us."


	262. Seeking Confirmation

Aside from taking medicine when told or eating when his mother brought him lunch, Kuroo spent a lot of the day napping. His biggest comfort when otherwise feeling like he'd been hit by a truck was that Kagome was still by his side every time he woke up.

It was late in the afternoon when he had a visitor.

Kenma came into his room without knocking, set what Kuroo assumed was missed notes and homework on his desk, and turned to face him. The setter looked at Kagome and then at Kuroo before he asked, "Did last night actually happen?"


	263. Tell Me A Lie

Burying his face in his pillow, Kuroo groaned, “Kenma, I get that last night was probably stressful for you - really, I do - but can we do this when I’m not dying?”   
  
“You’re dramatic, not dying,” Kenma replied, pulling Kuroo’s desk chair over beside the bed. “Tell me last night was some shared delusion and I’ll believe you.”   
  
When Kuroo only stared in silence, Kenma continued, “So I’m supposed to believe that Lev inadvertently kidnapped your… classmate, and you’ve been taking care of her as a literal cat for the past couple of months?”   
  
“Well when you put it that way…”


	264. More Questions Than Answers

Kenma stared at Kagome, who was sitting beside Kuroo on the bed, for a long moment before he asked, “So magic is real? Actual magic. Not cut-a-lady-in-half magic.”  
  
Kuroo looked at Kagome for some sort of advice on how to answer even though he knew she couldn’t exactly help at the moment. Still, just looking at her, he felt like he knew what to say. “I’m still new to all this, but from everything Kagome’s told me, yeah. It’s real and there’s more than you could imagine.”   
  
“What’d she tell you?”   
  
Kuroo sighed. “That part isn’t my story to tell.”


	265. Time to Think

Looking to Kagome again, Kenma asked, "Will you tell me what's out there?"

But before Kagome could give any sort of response, Kuroo cut in, "Whoa, time out." Shifting his attention to Kagome as well, "It took months and me contracting the plague for you to tell me. If you let Kenma know after a day, I'm gonna riot."

Kenma sighed and pulled his knees up to his chest. "I don't have to know everything right away. I'd just like to know eventually."

Kuroo and Kagome exchanged a look before Kuroo answered, "Give her some time to think about it."


	266. Side-By-Side

After Kenma had stayed long enough to pout slightly and check on Kuroo's health, he stood from his chair and stretched. "Hurry up and get better," he said. "I feel bad for Kai having to deal with the others without you."

"Trust me, I don't want to be stuck in bed any longer than I have to be," Kuroo assured. He was active by nature and not having the energy to go about his normal day was enough to drive him crazy.

When Kenma was gone, Kuroo slumped back down in bed to rest, Kagome curling up by his side.


	267. Only Silence

While Kuroo was busy getting over his virus, Kagome spent more and more time trying to speak to the spirit sharing her body.

" _I know you're there."_

But she couldn't figure out how to get a reaction from it.

" _You let me be human once because Kuroo needed me. That's it, right? Helping each other? Do you need me say I'm better off for going through this with him? That I feel like I have a real friend for the first time in years? I am! I do! Mission accomplished. Please just change me back…"_

Only silence was her answer.


	268. Shared Sentiment

The day eventually came when Kuroo was able to go back to school and practice (which he did with enthusiasm to finally be out of bed again). Kagome watched him leave, sitting in the kitchen along with his mother.

For not the first time, the older woman spoke to her son's 'pet'. "He's always tried to tough things out on his own, and it's hard to really be there for him because he doesn't tell people everything." She gave Kagome a gentle pet and continued, "I'm glad he finally has someone who's always there for him."

Kagome knew the feeling.


	269. Inferiority Complex

Kuroo received a warm welcome from his team that morning. He was happy to return, but practice was hard just coming off being sick.

His jumps didn't feel as high or his reactions as fast. Volleyballs seemed to hit harder. And, almost more than anything, he felt distracted. His mind still tended to wander back to the stories Kagome had told him. That night he'd accepted it easily enough, but the more it solidified in his mind and he realized it had been her reality, the more unsettled he felt.

Compared to that, he felt rather insignificant in her life.


	270. Probably

Before Kuroo really knew it, his day came and went and he soon found himself back on the train with Kenma, bound for home.

As usual, Kenma was tapping away on his phone, but Kuroo was a little surprised when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. It was a text from Kenma. Who was sitting right next to him.

_When's the next time Kagome will be human?_

Kuroo shot his friend a look. He could appreciate Kenma trying to be subtle on a full train, but  _really_? This question couldn't wait? Still, he responded:  _Next full moon. Probably._


	271. Making Plans

The walk up the street towards their houses was quiet until, "Would it be okay if I come over that night?"

Kuroo stared at Kenma for a moment before the question really clicked. "On the full moon?" At the small nod he received, Kuroo answered, "Sorry, but we already have plans to go see her family that night."

"What about the next full moon?"

Kuroo wasn't sure where Kenma was going with his questions, but he'd make a point to find out later. For now, "Kagome won't have another transformation night after this next one if I can help it."


	272. One Little Word

Kuroo flopped down onto his bed as soon as he was physically able. The day had felt incredibly long and he was tired. It was only seconds before he felt the light thump of Kagome jumping onto the bed as well before she came around to paw at his hair.

Turning his head to look at her, he said, "You know, I'll miss having you around once you're human again."

Kagome quickly jumped to the desk to type, " _We'll still hang out."_

Kuroo blinked, slightly surprised. "Really?"

" _Of course. We're friends."_

Kuroo felt a small pang in his chest.  _Friends_.


	273. Subconscious Worries

_It seemed like time was flying by Kuroo with only brief moments playing out for him in clarity. He watched Kagome laughing and holding hands with some faceless guy, going on dates and looking like any happy couple. The two grew older, got a house together. They were getting married, starting a family, growing old together. Through all of it, Kuroo was by Kagome's side, as a friend and not the man himself._

Sitting up in bed with a start, Kuroo rubbed his face. He really didn't like his dreams lately.

He needed to have a talk with Kagome. Soon.


	274. Just One

After yet another dream that was giving him more insights into his subconscious anxieties than he really cared for, Kuroo was almost in a daze at school. It was likely the reason he didn’t hear his name being called at first as he made his way towards afternoon practice.  
  
Turning around with a slight start, Kuroo realized that it was one of Kagome’s friends - _just_ _one_ of her friends, Ayumi - jogging down the hall to catch up to him. When she finally caught up, she laughed, slightly out of breath, “You walk so fast! I wasn’t sure I’d catch you.”


	275. An Unexpected Talk

To say Kuroo was surprised would’ve been an understatement. So much so that he quickly glanced around the hall for Kagome’s other two friends since he’d grown used to being ambushed by a trio, not a single. “Did you need me?” He asked cautiously.   
  
“Since you’re the only person I can really ask, I just wanted to know how she’s doing,” Ayumi explained. “She hasn’t been sick like this since middle school, and I’m worried.”   
  
Kuroo finally relaxed, understanding where Ayumi was coming from. “She’s been having ups and downs, but she hopes she can come back to school soon.”


	276. Figure It Out

"Ayumi wanted me to tell you she says hi and is looking forward to you coming back to school once you're better," Kuroo said, dropping his bag on the bed after getting home. Checking the desk calendar he'd started keeping specifically to track the moon's phases, he sighed. "There's only two more days until the next full moon."

Kuroo watched Kagome's tail twitched as she stared hard at the calendar, only able to guess at what she must've been thinking. "I meant it," he said, drawing her attention back. "We'll figure this out and get things back to normal eventually."


End file.
